Snakes and Foxes
by roterritter
Summary: It is natural for a Hidden Village of ninja to have its secrets, but some are better kept than others. A secret involving the Fourth Hokage and Anko may change Naruto's life forever. Meanwhile Orochimaru is preparing an insidious trap.
1. Introduction

**Snakes and Foxes**

By: roterritter

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

A/N: This story is merely based on speculation and my imagination. It is meant for enjoyment purpose. I realize the manga has not explored Naruto's parentage at all. I am only taking two characters who he shares characteristics with and trying to make an interesting story. Enjoy.

Summary: It is natural for a Hidden Village of ninja to have its secrets, but some are better kept than others. A secret envolving the Fourth Hokage and Anko may change Naruto's life forever. Meanwhile Orochimaru is preparing an insidious trap.

Timeframe: Almost 2.5 years after Sasuke left Konoha and Naruto started to train.

A/N: This started story started during the break inbetween Part 1 and Part 2. As a result it is now completely AU, but I am continuing it because the idea is still great and I wasn't even close to revealing the shocking ideas I had. However, don't be surprised if any elements from Part 2 sneak in. Also, as of Chapter 5, I've revised a few minor details to make it fit smoother as a "what if" to Part 2. I'm sure no one remembers that far back, but for new readers I wanted it to fit more smoothly with future chapters.

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**Chapter 01: Introduction**

His opponent stared at him with blue, confident eyes. A slight smirk on his face lacked any cruelty; it just had certain boldness to it. It was as if his opponent knew he was going to win even though all the odds said otherwise. It really was annoying.

He swiped his feet apart, preparing for an offensive position. The motion stirred up the dirt of the empty, abandoned quarry. It was already filled with craters and a few forgotten kunai knives and shuriken from his previous efforts to train there.

The sun was already over their heads. The heat pounded down on the both of them as they both stood completely still in a combat position ready to fight, each waiting for the other to make the first move. He could a feel sweat produced by the heat alone appear at his forehead, but he didn't dare raise his hand to wipe it way. That was just the movement his opponent would take advantage of.

The sweat drop slowly slid until it reached his nose and then it suddenly dropped.

His opponent disappeared, raising the dirt from underneath his feet into a cloud. As quickly as his opponent had vanished he felt a solid fist connect with his jaw. All this happened before the sweat drop hit the ground.

It took a great amount of balance and skill to keep him from flying from the punch. He attached his feet to the ground with his chakra at the last second and his muscles aching he managed to keep from bending over backwards. Instead he thrust himself forward, using his chakra to anchor him to the ground, and gave his opponent a punch as well. This punch sent his opponent flying.

They simultaneously wiped the blood off their lips like a mirror image. They had the same clothes, the same blond hair, and the same blue eyes, only their expressions were different: one overly confident and the other lacking confidence in himself. It was hard to tell which one was the real.

"What the matter? Are you getting slow?" asked his opponent. His eyes looked suddenly hard and sharp. It was unsettling.

"Idiot!" he yelled back. "I'm just getting warmed up!"

He hurt. His body still ached. Why didn't his opponent hurt? Technically they received the same pounding from the Akatsuki.

The memory burned inside. It made his heart ached for entirely different reasons. Two and a half years hadn't been long enough. He still wasn't strong enough. He hadn't been strong enough to save…

"Damn it!" he yelled as he launched himself toward is opponent, while trying to avoid the memory in his head. He grabbed three shuriken out of his pouch, one between each finger, and three them, but once again his opponent vanished, leaving only a cloud of dust.

Three days ago Jiraiya had gone to off to talk to his informant. Ironically, it wasn't about the Akatsuki, but a series of disappearances in the village. Word was that a local merchant who owned a mansion in a rural area was involved, but he was only the greedy type. It wasn't enough to explain what was going on, but on Naruto's urging Jiraiya begin investigating.

"Too slow!"

"Damn it! Damn it!" he yelled as he quickly turned, dust billowing all around him; only to have a foot smashed in his face.

Jiraiya hadn't returned. Naruto had sensed the massive use of chakra in the area and followed it, but it was already too late.

"Are you really a ninja?"

"Shut up!"

He moved again, this time trying for up close taijutsu, but his opponent blocked every move. It wasn't as if he wasn't moving fast, he knew he was also moving so fast an ordinary ninja wouldn't be able to keep up with him, but his opponent wasn't ordinary.

"You aren't fighting like yourself. Did you forget all your techniques after the Akatsuki kicked your brains in?"

A ball of swirling blue chakra formed in his opponent's hand. He saw it clearly in front of him, so close that his opponent just had to thrust his arm forward and it would connect.

"Rasengan!"

It took all of his chakra control to make his body move faster than normal, to twist out of the way of the incoming attack and kick his opponent in the chest making him move far enough way he was clear of the Rasengan.

The chakra-amplified kick had been the first solid hit he had on his opponent. The young man hit the ground hard and didn't back up immediately.

He looked at his hand and remembered.

"Ouch! Eh, are you finally waking up?" asked his opponent.

"Shut up," he said softly.

"So, you're just going to stay here and brood some more?"

"Shut up," he said again. He was tired of that voice.

"What about those people? You were so enthusiastic about saving them before."

"I don't-" he yelled, but stopped himself. He couldn't say it. It wouldn't be true.

"Care? That is so unlike you."

"I was always getting Perverted Hermit into trouble. I was always sticking my nose some place where I didn't belong. Sometimes he bailed me out. Sometimes I got out on my own, but he never yelled at me…"

"I seemed to recall he did," his opponent said.

"He would call me an idiot or a brat, but that was different. He never once called me demon or looked at me like I wasn't me inside. He believed in me…"

He remembered.

"I am…"

"What? I didn't hear you," his opponent urged him.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto! I'm the one he taught. I'm the one he wanted to succeed him!" he yelled as he pointed his thumb to his chest.

Naruto stood straight up and glared at the shadow clone. The clone ignored his glare and stood up as well with a fox-like smile on his face.

He knew he needed someone to beat some sense into him and the shadow clone was the answer. The clone wasn't really different from him: same amount of chakra, same techniques he knew, and same appearance. The incredible amount of chakra in it even prevented it from disappearing after this long of a fight. However, Naruto created the clone to lack any of the self-doubt he was feeling now.

The Perverted Hermit would have rolled his eyes if he saw Naruto's newest idiotic method of training, but then again he would have hit him over the head if he saw him brooding away like Sasuke.

Naruto shifted into a defensive position. His arms were spread out and his hands were as far as part as could be.

"You can't even perform a technique like that!" laughed the clone. Naruto smiled. The only knew as much as he knew at the time of its creation. If he learned something during their fight, then the clone would have no idea what it was.

"Finally!" the clone yelled as he ran straight forward, just as Naruto would have.

"I'll show you how to really perform the Rasengan!"

"Still too slow!" the clone yelled as he rushed forward, prepared to punch him while avoiding the closest hand to him, but Naruto wasn't as slow as the clone thought and quickly caught his wrist with one hand and showed the clone the palm of his other hand. The clone tried to pull away, but Naruto wasn't letting go.

"You meant to grab me?" the clone asked, but it was already too late.

The blue ball of swirling chakra formed easily in his other hand. After three years of training he had painstakingly learned how to do with single handedly and quick. It had been difficult, maybe even more difficult than when he first learned it, but he did it and he never forgot the proud look on Perverted Hermit's face. He wanted to believe so hard that it wasn't the look of a teacher, but it would be the same look a father would give a son.

The clone didn't even bother to give him a shocked expression as the Naruto thrust the Rasengan through him. It didn't take long for the clone to explode into a puff of smoke.

It was over and Naruto felt better than he had in days.

There were some people who needed saving and it didn't matter if he was alone now. He would keep on moving forward so he wouldn't have any more regrets.

"Alright, let's go!" he yelled to no one in particular, but himself.

* * *

Two and a half years seemed like forever. 

While children led energetic lives that never seemed to slow down and they continued to grow and learn at a none stop rate unlike adults, two and a half years could take a long time, especially when waiting for someone.

Sakura had spent a lot of the last few years just within the Hokage Towers. The Hokage often taught her while putting off some duty or another and unfortunately sometimes found herself as Tsunade's assistant rather than her apprentice. Still it was a job that allowed her to learn much about Konoha that she hadn't known before.

However, that didn't include knowing where all the rooms were.

"The second level, five doors to the left of the stairway," she said to herself not for the first time. "Geez, there is no fifth door! You would figure Tsunade-sama would know the Hokage Tower better than this."

It was not the first time that Tsunade had sent her to the wrong room, but as with the previous times she was reluctant to turn back and admit defeat. Tsunade was sure to lecture her if she did and Sakura had learned it was a legitimate excuse for exploring.

She was now trying the third floor and there was a fifth door from the left of the stairway, but it was not the room she was looking for. However, something caught her attention.

It was a quiet, dark room with a couch inside. It wasn't large and hardly unique except for five pictures mounted on the wall facing the couch. The fifth and last picture had been easy to recognize. It was a color portrait of her the Fifth Hokage, her teacher, Tsunade.

"Haha! These must be pictures of the Hokages!" she said in excitement. She had never seen a color picture of them. Everyone's image of the previous Hokages was based on the Hokage Monument.

She started with the First, then the Second, and then the Third.

"The Third Hokage looks so young!" she said with amusement.

Sakura was so engrossed into memorizing every feature, the color of their hair and eyes, and their expressions that she didn't even notice she had been caught.

"Sakura, what are you doing here?"

"Kakashi-sensei!" she said after about jumping out of her skin. She turned and saw her former sensei standing in the doorway. "I was running an errand for Tsunade-sama and found got lost!"

"Oh? So in other words she sent you the wrong directions again and you took the opportunity to explore."

"Yes," she admitted in defeat as her shoulders slump, but she knew she wasn't really in trouble. There was a certain look in Kakashi's only visible eye that told her when he was really smiling under his mask.

Running around the Hokage Tower was not without its restrictions. She had passed the rankof alowly Genin who wasn't allowed to visit except when receiving a mission or making a report. Even after becoming a Chuunin, there was still certain places that only high-officials and special individuals were allowed. Sakura was given a certain amount of access to the Tower due to being Tsunade's apprentice and while she certainly had the skill to be more than just a Chuunin-level medical-nin, there were some who took her true rank very seriously.

Fortunately, Kakashi was not one of them.

"What are you doing here, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Oh, just picking up a new mission. I'll be gone for a while so I thought I drop by and say hi," he explained as he walked into the room.

Inner Sakura cursed. She was a ninja without a team. She rarely went on missions and instead studied under Tsunade or sometimes Shizune constantly. All of the Konoha rookies had become Chuunins by now, all except Team 7. Tsunade had offered to make arrangements for Sakura to join another team, but she rather stubbornly held her ground. She wasn't going to take the Chuunin exam unless Team 7 was whole again.

"Ah, I see they finally managed to put of Tsunade's picture," he said as he looked at the last picture. "At least that went better than the talks with the Monument sculptors."

Sakura cringed at that. She witness the rather violent argument between Tsunade and a head sculptor who believed the stone face for Tsunade should be true to her real age. It hadn't gone well after that point.

She turned and looked at the last picture to examine, that of the Fourth Hokage.

"What?"

"Hmm? What is wrong Sakura?" asked Kakashi as he noticed her confused expression.

She saw a young man with spiky blonde hair and blue eyes, exactly the same color as Naruto's. The face wasn't similar, but there was an eerie resemblance. Somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered all the times Naruto confidently claimed he would become the next Hokage. It wasn't hard to imagine Naruto's face there.

For some reason it made her smile.

She was still smiling as she read the nameplate below the picture. It was strange when she thought about it. Except for the Fifth Hokage she really didn't know the names of the other Hokages. She only knew the Third'sbecause Tsunade still affectionately referred to her former teacher by his real name. Yet, it was asif an individual's name meant nothing compared to the title of Hokage or the responsibility over the entire village rather one's family or oneself. So it was interesting to read the names of the Hokages, until she saw the name of the Fourth.

"WHAAAT!"

Kakashi sighed wearily. How was he going to explain this?

**Next Chapter: Kakashi's Flashback!**

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_Author's Note: I felt Jiraiya had to die because he was Naruto's protector and kept him out of a lot of the trouble that he could get in. It also provides a chance for a dark Naruto who has lost someone very important to him. Jiraiya is one of my favorites, but I felt the impact he had on Naruto could be explored after he was gone._

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Version 1.1 

1.0: Added a new chapter 1. The previous chapter 1 is now 2 and the previous 2 is now 3. It was done to make a flashback much more smoother.

1.1: Cleaned up the header and replaced the summary. Added "Author's Note". The timeline is now 2.5 years instead of 3 to reflect the actual time used in "Part 2" of the manga. Changed Sakura from a Genin to Chuunin (never expected Kishimoto to make her a Chuunin so early).


	2. Kakashi's Flashback

**Snakes and Foxes**

By: roterritter

A/N: This is only a flashback. The story continues in the time where it left off at in Chapter 3.

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**Chapter 02: Kakashi's Flashback!**

_October 10, the last battle against Kyuubi_

The silence after the battle seemed deafening compared to the monstrous growling of Kyuubi and the screams of the dying ninja that had come before. The only thing that seemed to break the silence was the tiny, yet loud crying of a baby.

For many of the ninja it was confusing. How did a baby get on the battlefield? Although the entire village of Konoha was at stake, the battle had raged in what was once a vast, green and lush forest, yet now everywhere they looked was upturned soil and broken trees. It hadn't been like a real battle, it was more like fighting a force of nature.

The dead and dying laid everywhere and many of the living were not left without wounds. The battle itself had ended with a sudden frightening halt. One moment they were fighting a losing battle for their lives against an inhuman demon and in the next everything was over. Perhaps it would have been better if the demon had disappeared in a huge explosion of smoke, but instead its body just lay on the ground lifeless and eerily peaceful as it slowly dissolved away into whiffs of smoke, decaying back into the ethereal nothingness that it came from. The anxiety on everyone's hearts caused by the demon was not quickly going way, as if they expected any moment for it to lurch back to life.

However, one thing was clear, Kyuubi's terrible red chakra was gone. It was a disgusting, unpleasant chakra that left an overwhelming feeling in the air like a rancid smell. It was the feeling of something filled with eternal rage and has killed and killed until it was stained with red blood. Not even the most evil of men could feel like this. Yet suddenly it was gone, leaving only their unsettled fear.

All of the eyes were locked on the demon's body dissolving into smoke until it was gone. Only then could they relax and take note of their surroundings, but the moonlight covered red-furred monstrosity, revealing every vicious tooth, every terrible claw. Even the nine tails were thought to also be horrible because unlike ordinary tails these had created untold destruction. Even in death Kyuubi created a frightening image, at least until the demon fox had finally disappeared.

"It's over!"

Everyone sighed with relief as the last whiff of smoke carried away the last bit of red fur. The sight had disturbed even the most hardened of the ninja. Fighting other ninja was one thing, but fighting a demon was entirely different matter. Death had almost been guaranteed until the Fourth Hokage showed up and performed a blindingly powerful jutsu.

One by one their eyes settled on Gamabunta, the giant toad boss summoned by the Fourth Hokage. The giant toad had not disappeared into a giant puff of smoke, as most summoned animals tended to do. Instead he stood still.

The ninja had expected to see the Fourth Hokage standing tall on top of Gamabunta's head like the great Hokage that he was. They were prepared to cheer happily for him, but what they saw broke whatever happiness replacing the fear in their hearts.

The ninja could easily see the form of the Fourth collapsed on top of Gamabunta's head. They could see his form covered by his white and red coat, curled up in almost a peaceful position on his side. Those with sharp ears could also tell it was from the direction of Gamabunta's head that the sound of a baby crying could be heard.

"Hokage-sama!" whispered the ninja as they started realize at what cost the Fourth had taken to stop Kyuubi's rampage.

Gamabunta sighed. The sigh alone was like a harsh wind below him. He didn't say a word. There were no words for this situation, at least none that a toad boss would have for the ninja below him.

He didn't dare move for fear that the Fourth's lifeless body may fall. He couldn't go home either or risk the body falling as he vanished into smoke. Not even using his tongue to gently snatch up the body would work, out of fear he would cause the crying human infant to roll off and fall. The infant's loud crying annoyed him, but he didn't wish harm to it either.

The Fourth had explained the basics of his last technique to Gamabunta, making the toad boss understand the need of bring a newborn child into battle. He had used the terribleDead Demon Sealtechnique; Gamabunta still had shivers for being so close to Shinigami. He had felt the God of Death rip the Fourth and Kyuubi's souls from their bodies. It was something he would never forget.

"Sensei!"

A fourteen-year-old boy pushed his way through a growing crowd of the surviving ninja. A black mask over his face and one single Sharingan eye marked him easily as the Copy Ninja Kakashi, a young genius ninja who was already a jounin and a former student of the Fourth Hokage. Being a former student also made him understandably closer to the Fourth than many others.

Kakashi didn't slow down as he ran up Gamabunta, attaching his feet to the toad's skin by using his chakra. He ran toward the crumbled body of the Fourth, paying no attentions to the dangers of walking on top of Gamabunta. At the moment he was ignorant of the self-restraint Gamabunta was displaying. It was wide known that Gamabunta let no one, but a select few to ride him and was very hostile to anyone who tried, but in this case even Gamabunta didn't want to accidentally throw off the Fourth's body and the baby he was still holding onto even in death.

"Kakashi! Is the Fourth--?" yelled one of the ninja in the crowd below. None of them could say the word _dead_.

The survivors had begun gathering together in a group. They all looked ragged, bloody, and worn. Their clothing was ripped, in many cases soaked with blood and in some cases it wasn't their own blood, and their weapons were either worn or broken. Most of them were empty of chakra and only their concern for the Hokage was keeping them on their feet.

They had been fighting against impossible odds and never giving up, but for as many of them that stood now, there were many more times that of the dead that stretched across the battlefield. Not a single person had escaped losing someone they knew. Just looking at the ground was a bitter reminder of their loss. However, the Fourth's death was one more death too many.

Kakashi walked slowly toward the Fourth's body. He already knew the answer the other's question. Being the Fourth's former student also gave him a certain amount of trust in the other man's planning. Therefore he was well aware of theDead Demon Sealtechnique and why there was a baby there.

The Fourth's body was crumbled on top of Gamabunta's head in such a way Kakashi could only see his white and red coat that he always wore over his green Konoha ninja vest. Of his face Kakashi only saw the Fourth's spiky blonde hair.

However, the Fourth's arms were wrapped protectively around the source of the loud crying. Kakashi pried the Fourth's arms apart with difficulty, as if the baby underneath was the last thing in the world the Fourth was trying to protect.

Kakashi managed to pull the baby away, along with a blanket that barely covered him. The child awkwardly fit into the masked teenager's arms; he had no experience with babies and could only try to comfort the howling child as best he could.

It was a baby boy, with blonde hair and blue eyes that eerily resembled the Fourth.

_"He didn't! Did he?"_ Kakashi thought in shock. _"How can fate be so cruel, but to have this child born on this night?"_

Of course he knew for the Dead Demon Seal to work against Kyuubi it needed a newly born baby. What were the chances that there would be more than one child born tonight? Kakashi hadn't even questioned how long it took to the Fourth to return with a baby, but then again even a Hokage wouldn't have been so cruel to have just taken a baby off the streets.

_"How many personal sacrifices did sensei make for Konoha tonight?"_

Kakashi focused on the boy's face, trying to find the remembrance between the child and parents, but he immediately saw the three fresh cuts on each of the baby's cheeks were bleeding and Kakashi was sure they would leave scars. He knew the Fourth wouldn't have done this and the whisker-like shape of the cuts made him suspect Kyuubi. Perhaps a last malicious attack on humans before it was finally sealed away.

The blanket slipped a bit and Kakashi could easily see the seal on the baby's stomach. An obsolete black mark against the child's pale, pink skin: two four point seals surrounding a spiral in the center. The spiral was the Fourth's favorite symbol and now the child almost seemed branded by it.

The baby continued to cry, no matter what Kakashi tried to do, but it was if the child's crying was a sum of all the anguish and sorrow the ninja felt below.

"Kakashi," yelled an old, wizened voice. "Bring the baby down."

The teenager looked down and saw the crowd was now making way for the familiar figure of the Third. The retired Hokage looked serious and saddened at the same time and the crowd of ninja was throwing him endless questions.

Kakashi carefully held the baby as he ran down Gamabunta. At the same time Gamabunta picked up the Fourth's body with this tongue, with no fear of accidentally dropping the baby, and placed his body on the ground. Kakashi had barely reached the ground before the toad boss disappeared in smoke.

When the smoke cleared the medical-nin had run to the Fourth's body, but Kakashi knew it was already too late. The questions were getting angrier by the minute. Tired ninja who had lost too much, too many friends and family, were getting more upset.

"The Fourth is dead," announced the Third softly. "He explained to me what technique he would use when he joined you in battle with Kyuubi. It was a technique that would require him to sacrifice his life."

"NOOOO!" yelled numerous ninja within the crowd.

The Third looked around and saw their faces fall. Every single on of them would have probably given their life for the Fourth. It was harder to take that he had given his life for theirs.

"He did what he had to do to protect Konoha and its people, its children, as the Hokage," the Third explained calmly yet there was weariness in his voice.

"Where did that baby come from?"

"The Fourth sealed the soul of the demon fox into that child. Kyuubi can not be defeated by ordinary means and only by sealing it inside this child could he save everyone."

"Sealed? You mean that demon isn't dead!"

Kakashi shifted uncomfortably, realizing how many angry glares were on the bundle in his arms. Some were looking at him like he was holding a live explosive waiting to go off at any moment. The disgusting feeling of the red chakra was not forgotten, like a bad taste, and they couldn't imagine a child just being a child with something like that within it. To them it was like an apple perfect on the outside, but a vile worm on the inside.

"We should kill it now while it's weak!"

"We can't risk Kyuubi still being alive!"

"That thing killed everyone!"

Kakashi groaned.

The giant fox seemed so big compared to a small baby and their fear of the fox had quickly turned to hate now that it was gone. That hate was too much for them to have any compassion for some unknown child.

"Stop it!" yelled the Third. "I told you. Kyuubi is sealed inside this baby. This is a child a Konoha!"

However, that didn't work either. The ninja were tired both physically and mentally and not even the Third compassionate words were preventing the crowd from becoming a mob. They were yelling and arguing, their words were overlapping into an angry roar. Even Kakashi was regretting even holding the child.

It was understandable. Everywhere they could look was the death and destruction Kyuubi brought. Every single person could say they lost a friend, a family member, or teammate. Just look at the ground and you probably could recognize someone. It was understandable, but it wasn't right.

"That is enough!" the Third's tone had changed. It was not the voice of a compassionate old man, but of a stern and strict leader that made everyone straighten up and listen. It was the voice of a Hokage.

The Third stepped forward Kakashi and took the child in his arms. Even though he was considerably gentle to the child, the fearsome look on his face silenced the others. He briefly looked at child's face, masking the sympathy on his own face, but visibly frowned when he saw the cuts on the baby's face.

"Would you rather the Kyuubi be set loose? Because none of the techniques or skills we have would be able to kill it. Sealing the demon is more than even the death god to handle. Only someone with a human will could force the Kyuubi into a deep place where he can never harm anyone again, but human will can be flawed. Only something as innocent and new as a baby can truly be vessel of something like Kyuubi without being overridden by its bloodthirsty nature. Kyuubi is now powerless and caged and will be so as long as this child lives. This child has the same potential of any child of Konoha to grow into a good ninja."

That seemed to satisfy some of the ninja, even if it was begrudgingly.

"But whose child is he?" asked someone, although Kakashi noticed irritably it was not with the same energy as they had before when they wanted to kill the boy.

The Third made an audible sigh while looking at the child in his arms. Kakashi noticed the child has stopped crying and appeared asleep. It was almost humorous that the child could sleep while so many ninja looked angry with him.

"He is an orphan. Both his parents were killed in Kyuubi's attack. Unfortunately, we do not know who his parents were, there was little left of the remains," the Third said, but Kakashi blinked.

_"Wait, that isn't true…is it?"_

However, a subtle look from the Third kept Kakashi silent. Even the Fourth had secrets and apparently they were still to be kept.

"We don't know his name. We do not even know to which family or clan he belongs to, but as of now he belongs to Konoha. Because he is as much as a hero today as the Fourth," said the Third, but even as he said it he could tell the others really didn't buy it. Somehow, as invisible as it was, the spirit of Kyuubi had overshadowed everything about the boy.

Maybe, but perhaps not…

"Sarutobi-sama," said Kakashi, despite his age everyone looked at him with a certain amount of respect. His single unhidden eye looked sad as he was remembering something. "Before the Fourth went off to fight Kyuubi he told me the name he gave the boy…Naruto."

The Third smiled, a warm grandfatherly smile, but there was also something in the look of his eyes that told him that the Third knew that he knew or perhaps that the Third knew that Kakashi knew.

"Naruto," said the Third softly to the boy. He looked up back at the ninja, whose expressions had lost some of their anger. The Third's own expression had become more wise than harsh. "Then as the former Hokage I will give this boy his family name. He will be named Uzumaki Naruto."

Even Kakashi, who knew more about the truth of the situation than anyone else, looked shocked. _"Sarutobi-sama, what are you doing?"_

"WHAT!"

"But Sarutobi-sama! Uzumaki is the Fourth's family name!"

"The people of Konoha are all of a Hokage's children. This is especially true of the Fourth who didn't have a clan of his own or any family to leave behind," the Third spoke with a clear voice that everyone listened to.

_"No family that anyone knows about,"_ thought Kakashi, but he didn't speak it out loud. _"He made a lot of enemies while he was alive. Any wife or children he had would be at risk of being used against him. That is the danger of any leader, whether it is family or village."_

"This child is now the Fourth's heritage. The burden placed on this child's shoulders is the product of the Fourth's last technique. It is a burden that the Fourth cannot help him with, but this child shall be known as an Uzumaki, in honor of the Fourth. This child can bear that name proudly," said the Third.

There were a few mutters at that.

_"They can live with it, but you can't expect them to be happy about it,"_ thought Kakashi. _"Of course, it is better this way than if they knew the truth!"_

For now the situation was diffused. The ninja began treating their wounds and gathering the dead, but it was noticeable that every time someone found a familiar body they would angrily glace at the baby still in the Third's arms.

"Sarutobi-sama," Kakashi said softly in a whispered tone that clearly signaled he wanted the Third to hear him and no one else.

"Sorry, but you will have to get used to calling me Hokage again Kakashi. I have no doubt that the feudal lord of the Country of Fire and the Konoha advisors will vote me for me to be Hokage again rather than elect a Fifth," the Third sighed. "No matter…your sensei certainly left me a mess for me to clean up!"

"H-Hokage-sama, what about _her_? Surely she wouldn't give up her own child!"

"Kakashi! You will never speak of what you know about her and the Fourth! It was the Fourth's last wish that this child and his mother be accepted into Konoha, but do you know what would happen if the truth would be known to everyone? There is simply no way mother and child can live in Konoha together. Even the Fourth saw that."

"But, what will happen to her?"

"I've already seen to it. I've placed her among those I can trust. They will ensure she will remaina Konoha ninja, despite her master's actions" explained the Third, but his expression suddenly twisted into sadness…perhaps even guilt. "I had to use memory blocking jutsu on her. She must not remember her child, it is the only way she can move on. She will likely assume the memory of the events of the last month are gone due to _his_ techniques."

"What!"

"Kakashi, do you realize what the others would do if they realized the container for Kyuubi was the son of a subordinate of one of the vilest S-rank criminals of Konoha? The people have not forgotten _his_ actions yet, the Fourth did everything in his power to protect her from _his_ crimes, protect her from the things she had no control over, but he won't be able to protect them both now. It would have been bad enough if she tried to raise him alone, remember that in Konoha family is important and the sins of the parents can drift down to their children. Now that he has the stigma of Kyuubi inside of him, it would be almost impossible. Perhaps as an orphan he might have hope."

"But to take away her memories? That seems cruel."

"Perhaps, but sheunderstood this too and willingly let me place the memory block on her. She has done what any parent would do and sacrifice herself to ensure a better future for her child."

"But he is also the son of…"

"The Hokage is the greatest position in Konoha. He is not only the village leader, but also the most skilled ninja of the village. It is a position where people do not see the leader's flaws if the exist. In other words in their minds the Hokage is perfect.

"Ah, the Fourth falling in love with a missing-nin sent to kill him is so troublesome, but even after her master threw her away like garbage, the Fourth showed his overwhelming compassion. I doubt there will be any like him again."

Kakashi understood without having the Third finish. The people would easily dismiss the fact that the Hokage was related to the child or rather they wouldn't believe it. All they would believe is that the child couldn't be trusted. Revealing the truth would do nothing. It would just make it worse on the child. He would have enough troubles with growing up with a seal.

The Fourth had certainly left a mess behind him, despite his short rule. Yet Kakashi was glad that the Third was cleaning it up with an amount of compassion that he doubted others would have. A ninja did not need to be compassionate.

Kakashi sighed underneath his mask. His gaze at the child was the only one lacking anger. "Uzumaki Naruto, eh? You are sure to have an interesting life."

It started to rain; first with a few drops then everything was covering from upturned soil, broken trees, and the leafs caught in the wind. The raindrops broke the tension and seemed to wash away the anger, leaving only the sorrow and weariness of a battle being over.

Kakashi suddenly realized the last precious person in his life was gone: first his father, then Obito, and then Rin. Finally the only person left that mattered was gone. He felt suddenly tired and didn't care about anything anymore.

He was thankful for the rain because of the tears in his eye and he wondered silently if underneath his forehead protector if Obito's eye was also crying for their teacher.

* * *

_Author's Note: This chapter really began as an one-shot, but I felt it setup some explanation to why Naruto would have the name Uzumaki if that name was also the Fourth's. One of the biggest arguements is that if the Fourth was an Uzumaki then why doesn't any one realize Naruto is his son? Well, I tried to explain it as they were told it was in memory of him. The truth was held back to protect Naruto for a variety of reasons, one of them is the Fourth had a lot of enemies in the Ninja War and an important figure's family are always subject to harm. That's my version at least._

* * *

Version 1.2 

1.0: Originally Chapter 1.

1.1: Moved to Chapter 2 to avoid confusion, it is a flashback and the rest of the story doesn't take place in the past.

1.2: Cleaned up the header. Added "Author's Note". Changed the Fourth's name from Arashi to something else. Arashi was already used in recent anime filler for a filler character. The new name is much more original and fits better, but I'll save it for when it actually is used in the story. I've also rewritten references to Naruto's mother to fit better.


	3. ANBU

**Snakes and Foxes**

By: roterritter

A/N: Nothing new to say. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 03: ANBU**

The word Anbu meant dark.

It was an appropriate word. The Anbu of Konoha had various duties, including assassinations, which was one of the darker duties a ninja could perform.

At the moment a particular Anbu wasn't very happy. It was a full moon tonight and while ninja fighting on the rooftop in the moonlight might be described as a beautiful thing, it really made stealth difficult especially on open ground and around those with sharp eyes.

The Anbu crouched from his position high on a tree limb. He wore his black robe despite the situation. He would have preferred the freedom of access to the sword on his back, but for the moment the black robe provided better camouflage in the dark than his gray and black Anbu uniform.

With the robe's hood over his head the only distinguishing feature about this particular Anbu was a mask in the shape of a dog's face with red strips across it. It was the only mark of individuality of a rather ordinary looking Anbu, if an Anbu could be described as ordinary. Of course there was little ordinary about this particular ninja.

The mission was rather simple, at least for him. It was an A ranked mission requiring him to assassinate a merchant with an unsavory reputation. The merchant had hired ninja from a rival ninja village to protect him from assassination. There was at least one Jounin level ninja in the group, thus the reason for the high mission rank.

It was a solo mission. Even after three years Konoha lacked the manpower to send extra people. They may have caught up on their contracts and convinced everyone they were still strong, but manpower was still an issue. So if a full team wasn't really needed on occasions the more independent, reliable ninja such as himself were sent off on their own.

Yet it was so easy in his mind he saw no need for a full Anbu team and lately he preferred the solitude. It gave him time to think about the past, present, and future. It gave him time to think of his failure three years ago, when he had given up the Anbu mask for short time. In had only proved he still wasn't good with others.

He had returned to the Anbu after his failure was complete. It was easy to return. Once you were an Anbu you were always an Anbu, or else they wouldn't be putting a permanent red tattoo on your arm. Yet he still missed that time in-between when he once again had precious people in his life again before he even realized it. Then again, before he realized it they were gone. Not really dead, but gone from his life.

_"Everything had started out so well!"_

Like a cat he leapt off the tree limb and ran toward his first target as silent as a leaf caught in the wind. The first ninja had been a guard outside the mansion. His back was turned and he made a sleepy yawn that was cut short literally by a kunai through his throat.

The Anbu ignored the pouring crimson blood and the metallic scent that quickly filled the air and he silently caught the body before it noisily fell to the ground. With a quick, smooth motion he moved the body to the shadows, careful not to drag the dead man's heals in order not to create any tracks or signs that he had been there.

The Anbu only paused long enough to take note that the man's forehead protector had the symbol of the Grass Village, but it wasn't unique or worrisome enough to disturb him.

_"What was my first mistake?"_

The mansion's shadow in the moonlight filled darkness that served him better than the treetops. He looked for the next few guards. They all seemed terribly relaxed. Was their client so undeserving of their full attention or were they just fools?

_"I tested them with the bells the same way I was taught. It was a test that was past down from some of the greatest ninja in Konoha. They were first group of students the Hokage had tried to give me that eventually acted as a team. They passed, but what went wrong?"_

The Anbu moved again. His thoughts were carefully kept in rein so not to interfere with the mission. This somehow made him more focused.

He ran again, as quickly as the wind and his robe made him only a shadow against the wall. He prepared his kunai again. It was best to conserve chakra. There was no point in wasting it against these weak guards and for safety of the mission it was best to anticipate the Jounin bodyguard was more skilled than his companions.

_"Perhaps it was the eraser? One lone practical joke was responsible for a spiral of events from the very beginning."_

Despite the seriousness of the mission, the Anbu couldn't help smiling under his mask at his internal joke. He remembered being surprised by a falling school eraser. It was embarrassing, a Jounin being surprised by a practical joke set up by the dead-last student of a ninja academy.

_"When did it change? When had I started ignoring the brat, focusing on the other, and given up on her? From the very start of the exams everything had started going by too fast. I couldn't even keep up with how fast they were changing." _

There were two more guards outside the mansion, walking together talking about some triviality that the Anbu didn't care to listen to. He waited above them, attaching himself to the walls with his chakra and cloaked in shadows by his robes and shadows. When they finally walked right under him he dropped.

He fell right between them. They looked at him in shocked surprise, perhaps not yet registering what the black robed shape really was, but it was too late as he quickly extended both arms, jabbing a kunai in each of the men's chest.

They both died with a scream, but he shrugged it off. If it did alert someone then maybe it would keep these idiot guards from being lambs to the slaughter. If the target ran he would track him down, but most likely he would just hole himself inside the mansion. It was unavoidable to kill the ninja. They could only cause trouble later as a group. It was better to take them out one by one.

_"The others are so proud of how their students have all become Chuunins now. Even Gai's gloating is getting annoying. Sure, mine are now each being taught by a member of the Legendary Sannin, but they are now separated across the world and no longer mine."_

He heard them before he even saw them. Their footsteps weren't even being careful about being heard and instead were running toward where the sound of the comrade's scream had been heard.

"Finally," he said.

The first ninja threw three shuriken from his pouch. As they flew through the air, the other performed a technique that caused the three to multiply into a dozen.

"That seal sequence," he muttered to himself.

The Anbu prepared a kunai in each hand and slashed in the air three times just as the shuriken reached him. The men could hear three metallic hits as the other shuriken flew right through the Anbu, harmlessly like the illusion they were.

"What! He blocked only the three real shuriken? How?"

The other ninja answer was silence and then death as the Anbu quickly pounced on him, ramming a kunai into his chest and then swiftly throwing the other right between the other man's eyes, hitting so hard it snapped his head back. The ninja with the kunai sticking out of his chest wasn't quite dead yet, but all it took was a simple taijutsu to break his neck.

The Anbu certainly had an answer for how he blocked only the real shuriken, but it was no use telling it to dead men. He more than just recognized the technique by the seals used to form it. He had seen which ones were real and which ones were the fakes. Since the others were simple visual illusions there was no reason to dodge them. All he had to do was block the real ones and let the men's confusion buy him time to close the gap between them and end it.

He had to assume his presence was known, but once he had started it wouldn't be long now. The merchant couldn't have hired many ninja. He counted the five he killed and the once Jounin he assumed was guarded the merchant up close. There could only be a few left.

The Anbu ran up the mansion's wall and to the roof. It was better to check the parameter, to make sure he got all of the outside guards to ensure they won't be coming up behind him later. With no one with him to guard his back he didn't want to find a kunai in it.

To his surprise there was someone already on the roof, with their back to him and hidden in the shadows. However, that person's bright blonde hair wasn't really hidden in the light of the moon.

It was familiar hair, but instead it was an eyesore. Like a living ghost from his thoughts had come out. However, it didn't bother him, blonde hair was hardly unique. It couldn't have been him.

He prepared a kunai again and walked with lethal silence toward the man. The man hardly looked alert, crouched over like he was asleep. One cut across the throat would be enough.

_"I am just as much of a fool as these guards. I didn't see the signs. I knew to look for them, but I missed them or ignored them. He told me the first time we met what his ambitions were and yet I couldn't stop him. Did I try hard enough? Worse, I gave him a tool to further those ambitions. I gave him a taste of power before he was ready."_

With a meditative move he grabbed the blonde hair, yanking the head up. The motion was swift, but in his mind it was incredibly slow.

_"I ignored the brat. I knew who he was…who he really was. I didn't even tell him. Not a hint. I let him live in happy ignorance of his past while others told him he wasn't special."_

The Anbu angled his kunai so it would take one good slash to end the man's life.

_"All the while I---!"_

"Hey, Anbu-san. That isn't very nice to sneak up on sleeping person like that," said a voice behind him. The Anbu didn't even need the voice to alert him to a presence because a sharp end of a kunai was pushed against his head. He could almost feel the point past his hair and the robe. He silently cursed himself and his errant thoughts no allow someone to sneak up on him.

The sleeping form in front of him suddenly exploded into smoke, the blonde hair between his fingers vanished and he could feel the force of the smoke through his fingers. The Anbu's eyes went wide with shock from behind his mask.

"Kage Bunshin?" he said in surprise.

"Hey, Anbu-san why don't you turn around?" asked the voice behind him. It was young, but had a certain amount of familiar boldness.

When the Anbu turned around what he saw hadn't really surprised him and yet it had. A teenage, more accurately described as a young man with spiky bond hair, three whisker-like scars on each cheek, and a confident fox-like smile.

"Uzumaki Naruto!"

* * *

_Author's Note: I figured once an ANBU always an ANBU. They don't put an ANBU tattoo on you for nothing. Maybe they can be called to assignment if needed. What I really wanted was Kakashi in full lethal ninja mode, which you never see in the anime._

* * *

Version 1.3 

1.0: Originally this was Chapter 2, but that was confusing because chapter 1 was a flashback, but people didn't realize it.

1.1: Moved to Chapter 3.

1.2: Cleaned up the header. Added "Author's Note".


	4. Snake Skin

**Snakes and Foxes**

By: roterritter

A/N: Nothing new to say. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 04: Snake Skin**

"Uzumaki Naruto!"

The blonde haired young man blinked in surprise. Nowadays there were very few people that knew his name outside of Konoha. They were scattered around here and there throughout his travels, but he hadn't really seen another Konoha ninja in nearly three years.

Well, seen was a matter of perspective.

The Anbu he was currently looking like nothing more than a black robe and a white mast that glowed under the moonlight. The red strips were particularly prominent against the shape of a dog's face. The Anbu also stood completely still and straight, his arms and legs weren't even set in a combat position, despite the kunai held his hand. It was the same kunai that was about to cut his clone's throat a moment before.

"Anbu-san, you are from Konoha right?" Naruto asked. He couldn't hide the playfulness in his tone; he seemed overjoyed that he actually sneaked up on an Anbu.

"Ah…correct."

The voice behind the mask was hesitant. Maybe he was still surprised, maybe he didn't want to tell Naruto of all people, or maybe he didn't know himself. Naruto didn't care. The voice seemed familiar, but he couldn't think of who it was. As far he knew he didn't know any Anbu and it seemed too old to be one of the ninja his own age.

"I'm on a mission here. Do you intend on interfering?"

"What!" Naruto asked in surprise, a little too loudly. He knew Anbu had two main jobs: assassinations and escorting high officials. Since the Anbu had tried to kill on a rooftop, Naruto guessed it was assassination. Had he been gone from Konoha too long?

"Idiot!" the Anbu whispered harshly from under his mask. "Not you! I'm here for the merchant who lives here."

"Oh, that guy?"

The Anbu sighed from underneath his mask.

"You might have grown, but you are still the same Naruto."

"What is that suppose to mean!" growled the young ninja.

"Never mind," said the Anbu as he put away his kunai. "I must complete my mission, but I must ask again. Do you intend to interfere?"

"Ah, I don't care about that! You can kill the bastard if you want, but I'm here to save the people!" Naruto yelled with a hard determination in his eyes.

"People?"

"The people that have been disappearing from the nearby village," Naruto explained impatiently.

"Why?"

"I don't know!"

Naruto's information was incomplete at best; not that he was going to tell the Anbu. Jiraiya had begun investigation the mystery they stumbled upon. His information network was surprisingly good despite the Perverted Hermit's tendency to disappear off to the local bath for "research". Naruto figured all of the Perverted Hermit's spying skills might have begun from his early interest in peeking techniques, either way he was still very good at it.

Unfortunately Jiraiya never finished his investigation and Naruto didn't know his information network well enough to receive the last information himself. The ambush by the Akatsuki had been completely unrelated. They just thought Naruto would have been easier prey without his teacher and protector. They were wrong.

Now he was stumbling headfirst into an unknown situation, which might not have been wise, but he wasn't going to have any more regrets. That is what he had decided in the quarry.

"So is there no convincing you to leave this place?"

"No," Naruto said boldly.

"The look on your face. That hasn't changed either," the Anbu said with neither the hatred nor fear Naruto was accustomed from most people from Konoha.

"Anbu-san, you're wrong. I'm not the same Naruto who left Konoha," Naruto said softly with a fox grin.

* * *

Sometimes it seemed as if Kyuubi was growling from within his sealed prison, a giant roar of inhuman rage echoed deep inside Naruto, making his whole body tremble. 

It was a constant reminder of the red chakra that continued to flow through him. It was getting easier and easier to pull massive amounts of that chakra and all the while he often forgot the feeling of red-hot rage that came with it. Although he only used it in the worst situations it was getting harder not to use it.

Konoha…it had been so long since he had been there. Through his child eyes it had seem even longer. During his travels he had began to notice the lack of hateful eyes always watching him, but it was that lack that made his memory of them burn even more.

He tried to remember the good times, but more often than not realized how deceptive they really were. How often had Sakura yelled or hit him after saving her? How often had Sasuke had made some scornful remark when Naruto had only done his best? The bad memories had always defiled the good ones, leaving him with nothing.

Yet three years with the Perverted Hermit had done him well.

From the first time they had met, Jiraiya had recognized him as neither the demon fox nor a hopeless idiot. Sure, there were times when he called Naruto an idiot or that he had no talent, but Naruto eventually learned that was only the Perverted Hermit's way of motivating him.

Naruto had learned a shocking amount of techniques, many of them more difficult than what others had ever had the patience to teach Naruto, but with Jiraiya he had stubbornly refused to give up until he had produced results. Every time he seemed to make the Perverted Hermit prouder of him.

However, the Perverted Hermit was gone now and the only thing left to him was a promise of a lifetime made three years ago to girl.

Yet, he knew if he returned to Konoha even for his promise he would be alone again with only hateful stares and Kyuubi's red-hot chakra slowly eroding who he was on the inside.

* * *

The circle was broken and he hadn't been the one to break it. 

Orochimaru sat on an old wooden chair in the middle of a candle-lit basement with his hands gripping the arms of the chair making them creak with the subtle force he applied with his fingers. A brave person may have said he was brooding, but then again he would have likely kill that person for such words.

"How dare they?" he hissed. "If anyone had the rights to kill him it was me!"

The basement was a typical basement, having many dungeon-like qualities such as stone walls. It was not luxurious, but its original purpose was to store many priceless antiquities and unused expensive furnishings.

Yet all that was gone, now replaced bodies, some dead and some alive. The basement was filled with agonizing screams and pathetic whimpers.

"Was it necessary to do experiments here?" Kabuto asked softly, wary of Orochimaru's latest mood. They were far from the Hidden Village of Sound and yet Orochimaru had insisted on beginning new experiments.

"Inspiration isn't a thing to waste, Kabuto. This trap has made me feel nostalgic. I wanted the trap to be perfect for Jiraiya!" Orochimaru spat. "Damn the Akatsuki! They have taken something from me so I will take something from then ten times greater!"

Kabuto stopped himself from sighing. Orochimaru had not been in a good mood since discovering Jiraiya was dead. Sometimes talking to Orochimaru was as dangerous as trying to pick up a snake. One must always we be weary of the fangs and the snake's lightening quick strike.

However, the trap had continued. Orochimaru had gone to great pain to lure Jiraiya in and create the masterpiece of his trap that would kill Jiraiya, but what would work on Jiraiya was sure to work on Naruto, even better perhaps in Kabuto's opinion.

"The immortality technique is far from perfected. I thought I could learn something here while we waited," Orochimaru continued in a strange tone.

Kabuto thought in silence. It was true the technique was not perfect. It took nearly three years after taking a new body before he could take a new one again.

"When creating a technique for a certain goal there are many paths to take and further branches from those paths. Take the wrong one and it will lead you to a dead end, wasting valuable time," Orochimaru explained.

He slowly stood up and walked over to a table with serpentine grace. He picked up a scalpel and watched it shine from underneath the candlelight. His hands were as articulate as they ever were. In a way three years of being in this body he hadn't desired were worth undoing the results of the Third's technique. He often laughed knowing the Third had thrown away his soul into the Shinigami for nothing. He may have taken the arms of his soul, but all it took was another mind transfer to get new ones.

Orochimaru smiled at the perfect flesh.

However, the flesh was aging. It was slow, undetectable my human sight, but he was sure it was happening.

"I have saved my mind from being trapped in an aging body, but what I desire is a body with advanced bloodlines that will aid my ambitions to become the ultimate being. What use are the Sharingan eyes if they eventually wither away with age? I still need eternal youth if I am ever going to learn all the techniques in existence!"

Eventually that perfect flesh would grow old and fail. The joints in his fingers would stiffen, preventing him from forming seals. Even the abilities of the Sasuke's Sharingan eyes could not stave off age. Their effects would eventually grow dim and all the trouble he went through to gain him would mean nothing. It may take him generations to learn all the techniques possible and the advantages of advance bloodlines would not last forever.

Unless he found a way…

"A body that never ages…is really possible?" Kabuto asked.

"Perhaps. I have gotten close before, but they didn't serve my purpose and I discarded them. It was before your time, before I left Konoha."

Kabuto didn't ask any more and watched Orochimaru silently. The Sannin seemed deep in thought that moment. Slowly a cruel smile grew on his face. It was an evil thing to see and Kabuto had yet gotten used it. It still sent a shiver down his spine.

The basement was soon filled with new screams. Orochimaru worked almost like a craftsman, splitting flesh with the scalpel and bending it to his will by using his vile techniques. Kabuto watched his master work diligently, but eventually the body stopped moving and Orochimaru frowned.

"Perhaps you were too hasty in throwing away your original experiments," Kabuto said carefully.

Orochimaru started laughing and his voice echoed in the cold confines of the basement.

"Kabuto, I told you inspiration should not be wasted. There maybe something that can still be learned even from trash."

* * *

Her skin felt stretched as if it had grown tight around her muscles and bone. 

The ache was slowly growing and she felt if she moved in the wrong direction that her skin would rip apart, revealing something underneath that she didn't want to see. She was afraid that beneath her skin instead of crimson blood was green serpentine scales or perhaps something worse.

A soft melancholy laughter escaped her lips. She should be happy, she had eternal youth to a limit. She never had to write down her real age. She never had to act her age. She was still as young as the day that horrible technique was used on her, at least on the outside.

She didn't want to think about her insides. It hadn't suited _his_ needs. That alone told her it wasn't good. She only hoped that the eventual difference between youth and age wouldn't tear her apart.

Yet, she knew it was confusing to others, especially those who had known her long enough to notice she never changed, but she covered it well with exuberance and loud behavior. Despite her true age she was as rash and impulsive as ever. That had never changed.

Neither had the haunting dreams at night.

They were often strange, reminding her of something she had forgotten. The truth remained in the corner of her vision and on the tip of her tongue, but never to be really reached. However, they were equally horrible, twisting memories with nightmares.

She sometimes dreamed of being successful in killing _him _instead of failing. With the last technique that _he_ had ever taught her she gives her life over and over, but once in while instead _him_ it is the only man she ever loved. Fulfilling the fate she had once upon a time.

Other times she dreams of a round belly. She can feel the life inside kicking from within and she remembers a happy smile, but once again the dream twists into a nightmare. She gives birth to a litter of snakes and only then does she scream.

* * *

_Author's Note:Yes, it is Mitarashi Anko. More on that and why in the future chapters.There is a method to my madness.Don't worry, I am trying to be as canon as possible, while providing a plausible explanation to her age._

* * *

Version 1.1: 

1.0: Original. Manga Chapter 245 happened before this posted, marking the return of Naruto and start of Part 2. Thus, this is definately AU.

1.1: Cleaned up the header. Added "Author's Note".


	5. Caught in the Snake's Shadow

**Snakes and Foxes**

By: roterritter

A/N: Yes, I am still alive! My work destroyed my brain cells (hey, a few survived!) and gave me writer's block, but I'm back. I have gone back and cleaned up the earlier chapters, fixed any obvious spelling mistakes and changed a few facts to make it match Part 2 a bit better. This story is still very AU now, but I plan to use information learned in Part 2 later on.

This chapter is a series of flashbacks, it sets up what I wish I had in the beginning.So I don't confuseprevious readers, I won't be moving things around again. This chapter also centers around Anko, to get her right into the thick of the story. After that, it will pick up with Naruto again. (so please bare with me if you are anxious for more Kakashi/Naruto action).

This is a long chapter, (damn that muse!). The information is mixed with some facts from the anime/manga, but of course the "not really 24" part is made up for this story to make it plausible.

* * *

**Chapter 05 – Caught in the Snake's Shadow**

_**Eight Days Ago**_

_Crack!_

Another perfectly good desk was ruined, but Tsunade was beyond caring at the moment. Despite the display of super strength, the other occupant in her office seemed unfazed, in fact, she was still grinning ear to ear.

It had begun as a simple meeting, a new assignment for Mitarashi Anko to take an Anbu team to investigate a series of disappearances in a village that lay in the border between the Fire and the Rice Field countries. The village had already requested an assassination job with the Hidden Village of the Leaf, which Tsunade handed off to the Anbu, but the entire situation seemed odd and she was making her own investigation.

To lead the investigation she choose Mitarashi Anko, who had completed a large number of B-rank missions already and was familiar with the border area.

Unfortunately, recently whenever they were together they seemed to fight.

It all started when Tsunade had caught Anko altering her own ninja profile. According to the Advisors, Anko had been doing it for years, declaring that she was always twenty-four. They seemed to understand why, but they didn't bother to tell her about it, which irked Tsunade even more, that the Third Hokage had secrets to protect the village and its ninja and even the Fifth Hokage wasn't deemed important enough to know them.

Therefore, she took out her frustration on Anko. Something in the back of her memories told her Anko's age couldn't have been right.. She couldn't have been expected to remember all the children of Konoha, not when her own personal tragedy was happening at the time, but something told her she knew Anko from before. She used that knowledge to joke about Anko's age.

However, Tsunade wasn't innocent herself for looking her age and so that provided plenty of ammunition for Anko to strike back.

"Is your hearing getting worse, grandma?" Anko smirked, she actually enjoyed getting under the Sannin's skin, even if she was the Fifth Hokage.

Tsunade quickly placed propped her foot on the remains of her desk and leaned forward into an intimidating position. She stared right at the other woman, defying her to say _it_ again.

"I called you an," she stopped and over-pronounced each syllable. "OLD-WO-MAN."

Tsunade smirked, carefully hiding the rage she felt inside."There is only one person who I allow to call me that." Tsunade gracefully moved her hand forward, "And you are not him," and flicked Anko on the forehead with her finger.

The Special Jounin went flying and yet somehow avoided crashing into a wall. She had actually managed to keep on her feet, but was clutching her forehead with a grimace.

"Impressive," Tsunade said. "Not only are you as loud as Naruto, but you can take a hit as well as him."

Anko's reaction to that comment was not the she expected.

Her face went blank and pale and her eyes looked off in a faraway gaze. When her hands suddenly went up to clutch the sides of her head instead of her forehead, Tsunade immediately went into action, dropping her anger and resuming her professional demeanor of a medical-nin.

"What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," Anko whimpered.

Tsunade gently pulled away one of Anko's arms, but as soon as her fingers wrapped around the other woman's bare wrist her eyes widened in shock.

The skin felt as smooth and soft as a young woman's skin should feel, but just by extending a little chakra, Tsunade's finely honed medical-nin senses were telling her something was very, very wrong. Worse, it felt unnaturally wrong, something she had never felt before, yet there was a certain taint about it that was familiar, like a snake slithering across her mind.

After learning that Anko really wasn't twenty-four, Tsunade sometimes wondered about her true age. She had not idea how long she had been altering the profile. She could have been only a few years older or several. The same profile also lists Anko as having a high genjutsu ability, not as high as Kurenai's, but perhaps enough to use a genjutsu like her own.

However, what she had thought, was horribly wrong…

"What is this?" she asked softly. For the moment, she forgot Anko's discomfort.

"Y-you d-don't know?" Anko managed to speak through the pain in her head. "The Third and the Fourth knew."

"What? Does this have to do with Orochimaru?"

"It's nothing!" yelled Anko as she managed pulled away. The pain her head was residing. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"And what about your headache?" Tsunade gave her a stern command. "I certainly didn't hit you hard enough to turn your brain into mush."

"That was nothing too," Anko said. "I am perfectly able to take on this mission!"

Tsunade stared at her, but noticed the other woman's unchanging determined eyes.

"Alright, but this isn't over. I let you get away with altering your profile before, but after this," she paused. Tsunade's expression changed from that of a commanding Hokage to that of a medical-nin with a warm bedside manner, "I expect answers when you get back. Understood?"

"Yes," she muttered, but the look on her face told Tsunade that she meant it. She was going to tell someone her secret for the first time in years.

* * *

_**Five Days Ago**_

A Sannin could never die.

At least that is what they believed, but they were wrong. Their belief was like a child who thought that death had no power over a favorite relative, but once death happened their lives changed along with that shattered belief.

In a village along the border of the Fire and Rice Field countries, where the long shadow of the Hidden Village of Sound managed to reach, the Legendary Sannin named Jiraiya had been killed.

Mitarashi Anko and a team of three Anbu surrounded the broken body of Jiraiya. They had entered the village to investigate the disappearances, not to stumble upon the aftermath of a massive Kage-level fight.

From the damage, they could see it must have been impressive, destroyed buildings, cement crumbled into dust, trees uprooted, and the ground upturned. All of that was what they could see in under the darkness of night. Yet, as impressive as it was they couldn't take their eyes off Jiraiya's body.

A belief was shattered.

"Perverted Hermit!"

Uzumaki Naruto ran up to Jiraiya, pushing two Anbu out of his way. He was almost unrecognizable, partly because he was a few years older and wearing a new outfit that had more black than orange, but mostly because it looked like he was beaten to a pulp.

If anything Anko heard about what the Kyuubi could do for him was true then it was likely he would heal most of it after a night's rest, but it was still made her wince.

An arm hanged limp at his side, apparently dislocated, one eye swollen so bad he couldn't see, and his yellow hair tinted with red blood. He looked bad, but he ignored his pain as he collapsed at Jiraiya's side.

"Why aren't doing anything!" he accused the Anbu.

The large Anbu with a bear mask kneeled down beside, "There isn't anything that can be done. He's gone."

The bear-masked Anbu was also the medical-nin of the group. Apparently, his compassion outweighed any other feelings he might have felt for the Kyuubi kid, but when he tried to touch Naruto, he received a feral snarl that sent him stumbling back.

The change in Naruto's face was only a moment, before he looked back down at Jiraiya. He hunched over and Anko assumed he had started to cry.

She couldn't explain why, but knelt down beside Naruto and placed an arm around him. She refused to move, even as he tried to shrug her off, but some reason he didn't snarl.

Anko looked at his face and realized he wasn't crying at all. Instead, he was repeating a soft mantra that couldn't have heard unless she was this close.

"I won't cry…I won't cry…I won't cry."

An image popped into her head of a crying boy surrounded by angry villagers and she wondered why the memory disturbed her. Although she hadn't really met him before the Chuunin exam, she remembered hearing that he declared he wouldn't ever cry again and had adopted a mask of carefree smiles. She wondered why she had even cared at the time.

She held him tighter and whispered "It is alright", so soft even the Anbu couldn't hear.

When he finally broke down, she changed positions to hold him properly. Anko didn't seem to even care that he was getting tears on her trench coat. She realized that affection or sympathy was as alien to her to give as it was for him to receive it, but at the moment, it felt so right.

* * *

_**Two Days Ago**_

Uzumaki Naruto hadn't said a word for days. For anyone who was used to the loud-mouthed blond, that was simply scary.

Even the Anbu, who were all secretly taught that one day they might have to fight the Kyuubi kid, were clearly affected by Naruto's mournful silence.

The day after Jiraiya's death they had a small service as they cremated his remains. Jiraiya's body was simply too big to carry all the way back to Konoha in a speedy manner, but returning his ashes to Konoha was actually more than many ninja who died away from home received. Less caring Anbu might have surgically removed anything that could reveal the secrets of Konoha or Jiraiya's techniques and let the rest rot or be food to the ravens.

Anko scrubbed their mission. They would return if needed, but now the priority was to return a Legendary Sannin to Konoha for a proper burial as a hero.

"Can we have some service here!" she yelled into the restaurant that they sat in, almost being loud enough for both of them. It was a small restaurant, not filled with many people, which was thankful because of the noise she was making.

Naruto hadn't looked like he ate in ages and so Anko decided to treat him to a meal. Besides, she had something to give him, something of Jiraiya's that she decided he should have.

A part of her wondered why she was being so kind to the boy. She wasn't widely known for being _nice_. Even a lot of the male ninja in the village stayed away from her. She reasoned that perhaps, she could understand how he felt, because once upon a time she adored her teacher, who was also a Sannin. That feeling had long ago changed, in fact she tried to kill him herself, but she could still understand it.

She spoke, a little uncomfortable with his silence, "I tried finding a ramen bar, but I couldn't find one, but his place serves my favorite foods so…"

Naruto finally spoke, but it was soft and lifeless. "I complained to Perverted Hermit that they didn't have ramen here. He laughed."

Anko didn't have much to say to that, she wasn't sure what to do in situations like this. Orochimaru had twisted her natural energetic nature into something sadistic, he had never trained to her to be sympathetic to loss.

The waitress finally arrived with a plait of sweet dumplings and two cups of sweet red-bean soup.

"Sweet red-bean soup goes best with dango," she told him with the best smile she could manage under the situation. "I hope you like it,they're both my favorite foods."

Naruto's expression changed as he took a cup of the soup and sipped. His face now had a small smile, which was a small improvement that still made her happy. "I do, sweet red-bean soup is my second favorite!"

"Really? I thought all you ate was ramen."

"Not all the time," he weakly defended.

The meal continued in silence, but the air wasn't as tense or empty as before. Naruto seemed to enjoy the soup more than the dumplings, but she wasn't offended.

By time she had finished eating the last dumpling off its skewer, she had decided to go into why she had brought him here for.

"The Anbu are ready to take Jiraiya-sama back to Konoha," she almost wished she hadn't said anything as Naruto's face fell again. "I went through his things and thought that you should have this…"

Anko pulled out the frog summoning scroll, earlier she managed to carry the giant scroll to the restaurant and placed it behind her seat while she waited for Naruto to arrive.

She presented it to him. "Your name is in it, so I believe it should belong to you know."

Naruto reluctantly picked it up and held it while he looked at it sadly. He undid the knot in the string that held it rolled up and unrolled the first segment, revealing the last three names.

Anko knew very well what was inside. She had unrolled it herself, fearing it was some unfinished copy from Jiraiya's perverted Flirting Paradise series of books. Instead, she saw three names, including one she hadn't heard in a long time, but was still close to her heart.

"Are you sure it's mine?" he asked. He had only seen the inside of the scroll once before and back then he was too young to care why there was a name in between where he signed and Jiraiya's own signature. "There's another name here…" He squinted his eyes and tried to read it. "but it's all scribbles…Ka…Kaseiyo?"

"Kayaku," she corrected him without even looking. "And you don't have to worry about him."

"Uh?" he asked.

"Kayaku passed away a long time ago," she said. Her face looked sad suddenly. It was an old sadness, not like the grief they were feeling for Jiraiya. "So you are the official frog summoner now."

"Anko-san, did you know him?"

She chuckled, "Better than most, but I would say everyone in Konoha knew him."

"Really? He must have been a great ninja then."

"Of course he was!" she said a loudly. "Kayaku is the Fourth Hokage, you dummy. Don't they teach you anything in the Academy anymore?"

"WHAT!" Naruto looked back at the scroll with wide eyes, realizing he was holding the actual signature of one of the Hokage's that he had idolized all his life. However, "His writing is really messy. Are you sure this was the Fourth Hokage?"

Anko laughed. It was a long, healthy laughter. "Kayaku had horrible writing. Jiraiya-sama used to complain about it all the time." She noticed with some happiness that this time the mention of Jiraiya's name didn't bring down Naruto's mood again.

"He was like you, an orphan, with no family to teach him outside of the Academy. So I guess some of his skills were lacking."

"Really?" Naruto looked thoughtful. "Everything I heard about him was that he was a brilliant ninja, even when he was young. Some said I was like him, but usually just because of my hair and my stubbornness."

Naruto scratched is hair and gave her his typical big smile with his eyes nearly closed.

Anko's face suddenly went blank and Naruto stopped smiling when he noticed.

"Anko-san?"

"Oh, I'm alright," she said, but she was holding the side of her head and wincing. "Just an headache."

Anko looked out through the window, onto the dusty streets. Her expression was thoughtful. "What were you and Jiraiya doing in this town?"

"Just passing through at first," Naruto answered. "But we heard about some disappearances and I wanted to help."

"The disappearances in this village are why me and the Anbu team came."

"Really?"

"But now that Jiraiya is dead, I've scrubbed the mission, but the village already paid for a job to take care of the problem, that's what I'm told, but Tsunade wanted some extra investigation in case it the problem was bigger than the village suspected. Is there anything you know?"

"N-not really," Naruto muttered, "Perverted Hermit was supposed to contact one his informants. I'm not sure how good they are, they always seem to hang out in perverted places. But I guess he never made it."

Anko watched Naruto's face fall again and decided that was enough for now.

"It's getting late," she told him. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

He didn't answer.

"We're leaving in the morning. You're coming with us." It was a statement, not a question.

Naruto sighed. He was told before if he left Konoha without Jiraiya that Anbu would be following him.

"Yes, Anko-san," he said reluctantly as he stood up and picked up the scroll. "Before I go I want to train in the nearby quarry one more time. Perverted Hermit will get upset if I don't start training again."

Naruto turned and walked away, leaving Anko only to stare at the back of his spiky yellow hair. She felt as if she had seen that before, in a lost memory. Just like in the memory, something told her, that he wouldn't be coming back.

* * *

_**One Day Ago**_

"Damn it! Where did that brat go,"

Just because she knew he lied, didn't mean she was going to let him get away with it. If Anko had her way, she would return Naruto to Konoha all tied up.

"Anko-san," said the wolf-masked Anbu. "We can't any wait longer. When we get back to Konoha, we can senda few Anbu teams to retrieve him."

"There's no need for that!" she growled. "His teacher just died, he's not trying to defect anywhere."

"But this is the Kyuubi kid. We can't take that risk!"

"Fine. Go on back to Konoha. I'll stay and find him and be back before the Anbu teams even leave!"

The only female of the three Anbu approached her, she wore a cat-mask. "This isn't like you Anko-san."

"Perhaps then, you don't know me as well as you think."

Anko ignored the whole group for the rest of the morning and eventually the Anbu left, carrying the cremated remains of Jiraiya with them. They hadn't tried to convince her again.

She searched the village for Naruto, checking the hotel, the restaurants, and even the spot where Jiraiya was killed. Nothing…

Her last resort was checking the seediest areas of the village, filled with bars and brothels. It seemed a very likely place if she were looking for Jiraiya. She hoped after all these years the old man's perversion hadn't rubbed off on him. She felt angry about it, and once again, she questioned herself about why she should care.

She walked into a bar and heads instantly turned. Of course, it was more likely her outfit caused the looks than the fact she was a ninja. She expected wearing only her fishnet body suit and brown miniskirt under her beige trench coat might make her an inviting target, but those who tried would soon regret it. Armed with the skills of a Special Jounin of Konoha and the forbidden techniques she learned from Orochimaru, she could make any ordinary scum hurt in a thousand different ways.

The bar itself smelled of smoke and alcohol. It wasn't the safest places and certainly not a place that she expected Naruto to be, not unless he was trying to track down Jiraiya's informant. That might have been a hopeless action, but she betted Naruto was doing just that.

Anko sat down at the bar, trying to attract the attention of the bartender. A man with sake on his breath sat down next to her and ran his hand down her thigh. She swiftly removed the hand with one of her own and then stabbed it with a kunai held in the other, impaling his hand onto the bar.

The man's screams definitely got the bartender's attention.

"No fighting!" he yelled.

"There wasn't any fighting," she smiled sadistically. She pulled her kunai out of the bar and the drunk's hand and he went scampering away with a whimper. "I'm looking for a teenage boy with spiky blond hair. Have you seen him?"

The bartender looked her over, "Aren't you a little old for him?"

Anko's arms struck out lightening fast, like a snake, and grasped the man by the collar. She waved her already bloody kunai in his face menacingly, the tip only inches from his eyes. "Have you seen him?"

"NO!"

Just as quickly, as she grabbed him, she released him and put her kunai away. She smiled at the man, her eyes partially closed, "Okay, I believe you."

The bartender collapsed, nearly fainting. The rest of the bar patrons were looking at her in fear. At least, her action caused one thing, no one was looking at her _that_ way anymore.

With no other ideas, Anko sat down in a shadowy booth. Deep in thought, she felt the carved wooden piece on her necklace. She ran her fingers through its curves and sharp edges.

"Don't turn around," said a man's voice.

Anko almost instinctively turned her head.

"I said don't. Turn around and you'll never hear from me again."

She smirked, okay, she could play this game while she flexed her fingers, ready to grab a kunai hidden into her coat sleeves at any second. She could tell the voice came from behind her, directly behind her in fact from the other booth. The voice itself sounded like an educated old man.

"Isn't that something odd to say for an attacker?" she joked.

"I'm not an attacker," the voice said with irritation. "My job is to listen and to talk of course. I'm also good at hiding so if you turn around, you'll never see me again."

"Is that so bad?"

"Trust me, you'll want to listen to what I have to say. You're looking for Uzumaki Naruto." It was a statement, not a question.

"So what if I am?"

"You're looking in the wrong place, he's already left the village."

"What?" Anko mentally cursed.

"I imagine he's gone the mansion on the outskirts of this village."

"Mansion? What mansion?" she asked, but her instincts already told her it was what Naruto kept from her. She gritted her teeth, realizing she should have forced him to tell her.

"I've already told Jiraiya-sama where the people were being taken, ask anyone, they know where it is. I just didn't know by who, at the time. I do now. Going to that mansion is a mistake."

"You're Jiraiya's informant?" she guessed.

"Correct, I never got a chance to talk to him before he died. If I had I would have warned him."

"About what?" she asked.

"This entire village is caught in the Snake's shadow. They just don't realize it yet as he's wrapping himself tighter and tighter around them. Pretty soon he's going to swallow them whole and alive."

"What snake?" she asked, but she could feel her stomach drop out, expecting the answer.

"I think you know, Mitarashi Anko."

"_Orochimaru_? But why?" The presence of her former Sannin teacher was shocking enough she didn't think about how he knew her name.

"I don't know why he's doing it within the Fire country, but I do know what he is doing."

"What is he doing?"

"The same thing he was doing the last time he was in Konoha. You should remember, you helped him."

"I didn't!" she hissed. A kunai had somehow managed to find itself in her hand and she was close to snapping around and using it. "I wasn't under my own control!"

"Because of the cursed seal? Understandable."

"What? How do you know about that?" she asked him. Anko felt more unnerved by this man's calm informative voice by the second.

"I know a lot about the Snake, even more than you. Don't think I'm some ordinary gossiper in this little forsaken village. I've made a career in listening around the Rice Field Country, ever since the Snake moved in."

"How do I believe you?"

"What? Besides letting the young Uzumaki fall into a trap? Alright, I know about you, I read your profile after that Chuunin exam that Orochimaru disrupted. Your ninja profile said your age was twenty-four at the time, born on October Twenty-Four. You graduated the Shinobi Academy at age ten and became Chuunin at twelve."

"What? Any good spy in Konoha could have told you that and why were you looking at my profile?" Anko thought once that information was true, she did graduate at ten and she did pass the Chuunin exams at twelve, but the age...

"My business is to know about Orochimaru and that includes his subordinates, past and present.Only you are a puzzle,your agedoesn't make sense. When did Orochimaru have time to teach you?"

"W-What do you mean?" she asked. She felt odd, no one had questioned the actual timing of those events before. It was a strange feeling knowing someone figured out her twelve year secret.

"Orochimaru left Konoha before Kyuubi attacked, which was twelve years ago, but he became your teacher after you graduated. You were his student for less than two years. Not enough time to learn everything you know from him or even learn the forbidden techniques that are listed in your profile. By the way, how does a twelve year old use the Twin Snakes Mutual Death technique? I've seen it myself, used by another one of Orochimaru's subordinates. It's a murder-suicide attack that requires the victim's hand to complete the seal. With a twelve year old girl's hand, who did Orochimaru expect you to kill?"

She didn't have anything to say to that.

"Maybe if he taught you constantly in those two years it would have been enough, but we all know he was rather busy at the time with the human experiments."

"Enough!"

"Nothing I see in your history fits. My only conclusion is that you are older than you look. At least that makes the information regarding your pregnancy more palatable."

"Pregnancy, I've never been…" She turned around suddenly and looked…

No one was behind her and the booth was empty.

_Turn around and you'll never hear from me again. _

* * *

_Author's Notes: There is a reason why Anko keeps having headaches. It relates to something the Third Hokage says in Chapter 2. More about that will be revealed._

_While doing research for the story I noticed a few strange things:_

_Check out chapter 122 or episode 72. There is a picture of Orochimaru with a very young Anko. Is it me or does Orochimaru look a lot younger than the Third Hokage's flashback of him back when Orochimaru was caught experimenting on people? _

_I got a lot my information about Anko from profiles translated from the Databook and others and any information given in the manga or anime. Her age is listed as 24, but there are a few strange things, both Anko and Naruto like sweet red-bean soup. In one profile I looked at the only other people who liked the same thing are Naruto and Iruka liking ramen. I also worked in my own questions about her into the Informant's dialogue. It seems strange he taught a 12 year old a murder-suicide technique and Anko has also said he taught her everything. Hard to see that in 2 years. It just means in reality we don't know enough about her or there is a continuity problem, either way I believe it makes Anko being Naruto's mother plausible. _

_About the Fourth's Name: Kayaku comes from a forum board. The writing in the frog summoning scroll that is suppose to be the Fourth's vaguely resembles the characters for kayaku, something put on ramen. Given Naruto's name is also something put on ramen I thought it was a good name. I wanted something more original than Arashi or Kaseiyo (the spanish version). Again, I'm making up the Fourth's background just to make it more interesting. I thought him trying to create a clan Uzumaki is different than the often used idea that they all died out. _

* * *

Version 1.1 

1.0: Original.

1.1: Corrected a mistake, Hidden Village of Sound is in the Rice Field Country, not the Tea Country.


	6. Nemesis Part 1

**Snakes and Foxes**

By: roterritter

A/N: I have stated before I like being within the realm of canon, but when it comes to using villains there aren't many who are not Akatsuki or dead. Not every character is on the scene yet and not enough momentum has been built up yet. I can't unleash the final trap just yet. So, to slow Kakashi and Naruto down, this chapter will introduce an original villain. This chapter is merely the setup, a huge fight will start in the next chapter.

* * *

Reviewers: Thank you for all the reviews! It's nice to know that this is a worthwhile idea that needs to continue. I appreciate it. Below this, I like to answer a few questions: 

IM AM WORF SON OF MOGH: Anko and her Anbu team did know there was a mission to assassinate the merchant, but other than being performed by another Anbu they don't know it's Kakashi. I figured an assassination mission is need to know only, even within the Anbu.

quaebah24: I have no real claim over the name Kayaku. I just found it on a Naruto fan forum and the person who posted it found it on a Japanese site. Therefore, I assume it is free to use by anyone. So feel free to use it.

hattuteline: This story is far from over, but we aren't close to Naruto and Anko living together yet, if such a point ever exists. Unfortunately, for them, at this point they don't even they are related. While the story may extend beyond the trap, we have plenty of chapters before then.

* * *

**Chapter 06 – Nemesis**

Anko ran through the forest, jumping from tree to tree with ease.

She knew she didn't have much time. It was already past midnight, but still hours until daylight. If the boy were smart, he would have tried entering the mansion during night. She hoped she could catch up to him before he got himself into a mess.

It didn't take long after roughing up the first villager she was given the location of the mansion. They didn't dare lie after she shoved a kunai close to their face.

She could have asked nicely, but she was already agitated by the Informant's last words. _"At least that makes the information regarding your pregnancy more palatable."_

_Pregnant? I've never been pregnant…have I?_ She thought to herself as she gritted her teeth in frustration.

She couldn't deny she had been having strange nightmares lately. Nightmares being what they were, tended to twist happy moments into something worse. She had one reoccurring nightmare, the only one that could make her wake up screaming. In the dream, she was pregnant, feeling happiness that she thought she could only have with Kayaku's child, but the moment is destroyed as the child disappears and all she is left with is snakes.

Orochimaru and Kayaku, the most important men in her life. Orochimaru was always pulling her toward him while she always wanted to be by Kayaku's side. The Sannin twisted her love for him into loyalty, she savored every bit of affection she received. By the time he gave her the cursed seal he had her body, mind, and soul.

At least until Kayaku saved her, but after that everything was fuzzy.

She was also well aware there were certain gaps in her memory mostly the months before the Fourth's death. She hated that the most, because those were the months she was with Kayaku without Orochimaru's influence. She didn't want to think about what precious memory she had lost, but the Third had told her a combination of the cursed seal and Orochimaru's experimentation had made her ill, by time she recovered, Kayaku was dead. She had believed him them. Now she wasn't so sure…

Recently she had been having headaches, flashes, whenever she thought about something from around that period. They were annoying and were happening more frequently, but the flashes weren't all that bad, as usually they contained Kayaku. She had hoped something of those loving memories she had forgotten were returning.

The thoughts weighed heavy in her mind, but she was well aware of her current situation. Naruto was heading for danger. She had no idea why Orochimaru would be doing human experiments this far away from the Hidden Village of the Sound. It didn't make sense.

Her skin ached at the thought of it, but this time she had control over herself. This time she would make the difference. She kept those thoughts in her head as she continued to run.

* * *

Naruto and the Anbu slipped into the mansion through a window near the roof. They were quiet, they talked softly to each other and kept an eye on the closed door. 

The room was empty, everything neatly packed away into a closet, but it suited the Anbu fine. It gave him time to prepare.

_I may have made a strategic mistake_, he thought. _I used the Sharingan too early. I expected heavier resistance around the building._

He cursed mentally, he wasn't as tired as he would have been in the old days. He had taken a page from Naruto's book and used hard work to overcome his weakness, but to leave the eye active so long to have only avoided a simple ninjutsu could have been a mistake. In the old days, it would have disabled him completely.

_That's the problem with wearing the damn mask. It's not easy to cover the eye without removing the mask every time. _

However, he looked over to his new companion, who was busy checking out the room. Naruto wasn't a lightweight before he left Konoha and he couldn't guess at what two and a half years of training with a Sannin might have produced, but knowing Naruto, he realized he needed to rein him in before losing control.

"Naruto, this is an A-rank mission. Your disappearances and my mission are likely related, therefore we need to work together on this," he told the teenager. The boy's expression told him he was listening and considering his words. "We are both Konoha ninja with the same goal. In this case, I believe we need to use teamwork. It is much more important than our individual abilities. An individual action that disrupts the teamwork will result in danger or even death for the teammate."

"I understand…" The fact Naruto didn't object surprised the Anbu, but the teenager was watching him carefully and then he gave him another wide fox-grin. "So…when are you going to remove your Anbu mask, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi blinked in surprise. "Ah, you figured it out."

"Those were the same words you said during our bell test."

"Ah, I see."Kakashi pulled off his black robe, letting it hit the floor, and shifted his dog mask over to the side of his face. His cloth mask still covered most of his face of course, but his forehead protector was tied on straight, revealing his red Sharingan eye. "But, I didn't expect you to be this slow."

He chuckled at Naruto's disgruntled look as he pulled his forehead protector down over his Sharingan eye, completing his lazy look. Kakashi almost sighed with relief as the amount of chakra the eye drained lowered now that he covered again.

"You haven't changed Kakashi-sensei, except for the Anbu uniform. What's up with that?"

"Just a change of jobs." That was the simplest answer. Kakashi didn't want to burden Naruto with the real answer.

Now that they were inside a room with more light, Kakashi looked Naruto over. He had gotten taller. Naruto would be glad to know that he finally gotten taller than Sakura, but now wasn't the time to say it.

Tied behind Naruto's back was a large scroll, the frog summoning scroll if Kakashi guessed right. Given what Naruto said about Jiraiya's death, it wasn't a surprise.

_It's only a few days after Jiraiya's death. He may be unstable now. It seems the fates are conspiring to dump one of my former students onto my lap like this. It appears I'm going to have to be the teacher again..._

"Since, you agreed to work together then I'll explain this. We have to proceed with caution. I killed five Grass ninja outside. How many did you kill?"

"None, I went around them." Naruto's face twisted with uneasiness.

"Very well, that makes five. They weren't very skilled, so I judge them to be Genin level. They could be here as a group and therefore led by a Chuunin, but the contract was made with the information that they had at least one Jounin. Likely, it could be two teams of Genin. That means there could be two Jounin and one remaining Genin."

"Couldn't there be more?"

"Perhaps, but unlikely. They are far into the Fire Country border, while it isn't unheard of to hire ninja from a village located in another country, even Konoha will offer a lower price to earn a steady amount of jobs in another area. However, the number has to be limited. You don't move a large number of ninja into the territory of a rival village. Konoha would tolerate two teams in one place, but more than that is questionable."

"Oh."

Naruto expression told that he was listening and taking in the information. This was all standard information someone who had been a ninja as long as Naruto should have known, but Kakashi guess Jiraiya focused on Naruto's skills instead.

"This entire place feels empty, but I have a better way of checking it out." Kakashi bit into his thumb, drawing some blood and performed a few quick hand seals. "Summoning Technique."

Smoke billowed out from underneath his palm and drifted away, revealing a small brown pug dog with a Konoha forehead protector tied around his head.

"Pakkun!" said Naruto with excitement over seeing the familiar dog.

Pakkun spoke in a gruff voice as he looked up. "Naruto, you've grown."

"Pakkun," said Kakashi softly to get the dogs attention. "I need you to take a quick look around this mansion. The target is a merchant. He's hired several Grass ninja, there is likely two Jounin and a Genin left. Being a mansion, I suspect there are servants around too. Take a look around and report back here in fifteen minutes."

"Yes." Kakashi opened the room's door slightly, just enough for the dog to move through.

After Pakkun had left, Naruto spoke softly. "Kakashi-sensei, is it safe to send Pakkun? Shouldn't we be doing something?"

"Pakkun is trained in ninja arts. Plus, he has a good sense of smell. He can keep out of trouble and track down our target. We need the reconnaissance since the villagers didn't give me any information about the layout of this place. Remember, information before hand is also key to success in a mission."

They were silent while waiting, but Kakashi chose his next words carefully.

"Are you being overly concerned with death?"

Naruto had surprise on his face, but didn't answer.

"You continued with desire to help the villagers even if Jiraiya has only been dead for days. You are willing to fight even if you are still grieving. It may not seem it, but that is good. A ninja must continue the mission even if a comrade is killed or even if a friend is killed. You can grieve, but you can't let it stop you from doing your job."

Naruto was watching Kakashi carefully. There was something in Kakashi's tone that it wasn't a lecture. He was merely speaking from personal experience.

"I understand, but that doesn't make it easier."

"I know."

They were silent for several minutes until the door moved a little as Pakkun pushed himself inside. He was breathing hard as if he was running back, but the mansion wasn't that big to exhaust him. This was different, Kakashi noted as the dog ran up to him…it was fear.

"There's no one here! No servants that I could find."

"Perhaps the merchant sent them away out of fear?"

"No…I don't think so. The first floor smells bad. It was coming from below. Besides for that I only smelled one thing and it wasn't a merchant. I think someone was watching me, I could smell him, but I couldn't hear him, nothing! So, I ran back as soon as I could."

"What did you smell?" Kakashi was worried, Pakkun was obviously disturbed, and that was hard to do.

"Death."

* * *

"I'll kill you. I'll kill you. I'll kill you." 

Kabuto was impressed that the man could continue his mantra despite Kabuto's careful slices into him using his chakra scalpel. Flesh bent to his will, reshaped itself, and reconnected with ease despite the amount of pain it must have produced.

"I'll kill you. I'll kill you. I'll kill you."

Kabuto stepped away from his work, appraising it carefully before declaring it finished. It was a rushed job and the man was unlikely to live long under Orochimaru's control, yet he was pleased with himself.

The man himself was a Jounin from the Hidden Village of the Grass. He was strapped down to the table; the heavy leather straps creaked underneath the force the man applied. Kabuto had no doubt the man would try to kill him if freed. More than that, it was quite possible that he could, especially after what Kabuto had done.

Kabuto turned, pushing his glasses up with a single finger. "Orochimaru-sama, why did you allow this man to live? I understand the usefulness of keeping the Grass Genin, but this man was dangerous, even more so now."

Orochimaru moved from where he had been watching, supervising the surgery to ensure his exact specifications. He held a gray unpainted ceramic mask that belonged to the Jounin in his hands and smiled as he placed it over the man's face. Orochimaru pulled a strap to hold it in place and covering the man's face, making his mantra slightly muffled. The mask itself had no distinguishing features, only straight slots for the eyes and mouth.

"Our prey needs to be further led into the trap before it closes them in."

"But I thought we were going to use _him_ to kill Naruto-kun."

"Of course. Although you've given this man a second chance at becoming the predator he once was, I doubt he'll be able to kill the Kyuubi kid, but he will most certainly slow him down and remove any unnecessary individuals."

"Unnecessary?"

"Mokushi, reveal yourself."

Kabuto flinched, as a nearby shadow silently detached itself from the wall and walked forward before kneeling before Orochimaru. The former shadow now revealed itself to be a man, dressed in dark green pants, light green shirt, and a lavender scarf wrapped around his neck. The forehead protector over his head had the symbol for the Grass ninja.

"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!" The Grass Jounin's mantra grew louder at the sight of this man named Mokushi.

"The Grass ninja are dead," the man whispered. Kabuto knew that the man's voice didn't get much louder unless he was imitating someone's voice. "A Leaf Anbu has arrived, as you predicted."

"What?" Kabuto turned toward Orochimaru.

"With our taking the people from the village, I suspected it was only time they tried contacting a ninja village for help, perhaps targeting the merchant himself for assassination."

Kabuto thought about it before replying. "That was why you had the Grass Genin remain outside. To make sure other ninja didn't suspect our presence."

"Of course. Mokushi, was their only one Anbu?"

"Yes, but he was very skilled. He killed three of the men quietly, but he got sloppy with the last two," he said.

Kabuto glared at Mokushi. There was something he didn't like about the man, the silent way the man moved and spoke made him uneasy. "And you saw this? How do you know you didn't reveal yourself?"

Mokushi turned his head toward the screaming Grass Jounin. A sneer appeared on his face. "A ninja should be silent." He turned his head back toward Orochimaru; "The Anbu was on the roof the last I saw, along with our target, Uzumaki Naruto. That one has no understanding of the concept of stealth!"

Orochimaru laughed softly at that. "With the Grass all dead but the Jounin, you won't need that face anymore."

"Thank you, Orochimaru-sama." Mokushi stood up and walked over to the table to the left of the screaming Jounin. The man on this table was now dead, faceless and missing an arm. His face was featureless, melted off by the Vanishing Facial Copy technique. He had also been a Jounin, but still no match for Mokushi.

It had been easy to disguise himself temporarily and give the Genin orders. They never once doubted him, even those who had been the man's students. The others were told the their teacher and one of the teammates was protecting the merchant personally and they believed him.

Mokushi turned away from the others before pulled the skin of his face and pealed the skin off completely. He threw the disembodied face to its original owner. Before he turned back toward them, he pulled a veil over his face, keeping his true face concealed. "Orochimaru-sama, there is one more thing. The Anbu was very skilled. He even saw through a ninjutsu that created substanceless copies of several thrown shuriken."

"Really? How so?"

"He blocked only the real shuriken, allowing the false images to pass through him harmlessly. I am certain he knew which were real and which were not."

"I see. What animal did his mask look like?" asked Orochimaru.

"A wolf or a dog."

"How very appropriate," Orochimaru walked over to the space between the screaming man's table and the table to the right of the screaming man. He looked thoughtfully over to the remains of the last Grass Genin, over to the man's now empty eye sockets. He released an evil laugh that even seemed to disturb the Grass Jounin as he moved closely to look eye to eye to the man, past the slots of his mask.

"I'll kill you. I'll kill you," the man continued, but his mantra grew weaker.

"Is revenge a concept you understand?" asked Orochimaru. "I know your past, the Blade of the Grass, an elite Jounin mutilated by the Copy Ninja Kakashi."  
The Jounin was suddenly silent, but Orochimaru could see his eyes burned with anger.

"Anbu travel in teams. For only a single Anbu to be have been sent then it must be someone extremely skilled. An Anbu's mask is also often unique for each individual. If I remember right, you once came across a dog-masked Anbu before. Wasn't it the same man who reduced you to teaching Genin and assigned to missions no bigger than being a bodyguard?"

"I'll…kill…Kakashi!"

"Yes, of course," said Orochimaru as he moved his hands into a seal. "But let's have some insurance of that."

The Jounin's screams filled the basement.

**Next Chapter: Nemesis Part 2**

* * *

_Author's Notes: Since the real Naruto series always has a flashback to add more depth to the situation, I think I'll have another flashback chapter in the future to explore Anko and the Fourth's relationship. So more of what Anko was thinking will be revealed in time. _

_I introduced two original villains in this story. I didn't want to use nameless, non-descript ninja until they hit the real trap, so I created two colorful characters that I hope capture the essence of Naruto villains. The first was the Sound ninja who doesn't make a sound, Mokushi. The second was a Grass Jounin who was "altered" by Kabuto. His nickname is the Blade of the Grass. _

_The real trap hasn't sprung yet, but the Blade of the Grass should make an interesting obstacle until that point._

* * *

Version 1.0 

1.0: Original


	7. Nemesis Part 2

**Snakes and Foxes**

A/N: This is the first time I have written a fight scene, it may or may not have worked. This entire chapter is an experiment with a fight scene on many levels. Back in chapter 3, I used Grass ninja, so to keep continuity that Jounin eventually has to show up, but as it turns out, we actually don't know hardly anything about the Grass. There was Orochimaru disguised as a grass and then there is Zetsu. Nothing very useful so far, so this is further from canon than I usually like, but I think I created some techniques and abilities that have the spirit of canon within in them. If it didn't work out, then luckily I only created one big chapter of this, the story will move on with Anko next chapter. If it does, hey let me know.

* * *

Reviewers: Once again thanks for the reviews. 

Peter Kim: I agree the Akatsuki wouldn't be pleased, but that didn't stop Orochimaru from trying to kill Naruto in the anime/manga either and back then all Naruto did was use Rasengan. Whatever the case, he doesn't seem to agree with their ideals anyway.

sierra mist: I agree with you about OC's, which is why my objective is to make this character as anime-like as possible. Now I did use Grass for some reason back in Chapter 2, so I'm stuck with them, so I have to create some new techniques for him to use, but my objective is to turn this into a wild ninja battle.

* * *

**Chapter 07 – Nemesis Part 2**

"See, I told you. This place is empty," said Pakkun.

The pug dog led the way through silent halls as Kakashi and Naruto followed. Kakashi had his Anbu masked pulled back on, but his Sharingan was covered to reduce the strain on him until it was needed. Kakashi left the robe off, more comfortable now that he could easily reach for his Anbu sword.

Pakkun was correct, the place was too empty and that bothered Kakashi. An A-rank mission to kill a greedy merchant protected by ninja was one thing, but nothing so far had made since. The Grass Genin outside had largely been unorganized and easily killed. He suspected that there were two Jounin and a Genin left, but if he were to organize a bodyguard mission, he would have had one team with their teacher outside and the other inside. Anything else was stupidity or something other than what it seemed.

"It's so quiet, it's creepy," said Naruto.

There should have been at maid here or there, but everywhere they passed was gathering dust. It was as if everyone picked up and left, without even cleaning up after themselves.

Kakashi flexed his fingers, he was one edge more than ever. "Pakkun, you said there was a smell of death coming from the basement. How exactly?"

"The smell of decay," said Pakkun, his gruff voice tinged with sadness. "There are dead bodies down there, I'm sure of it."

Naruto's eyes shut tightly and he gripped a kunai in his hand tighter in a mixture of grief and anger. "They're dead?"

Kakashi kept a careful eye on the teenager. "Why would a merchant kidnap people from the village? Why would he go through the trouble of hiring Grass ninja? I'm sure they aren't involved, not in a village so close to the border of Fire and Rice Field, its almost as if they were a cover for what is really going on here."

"The old woman Tsunade sent Anbu to the village," Naruto told him. "But they had to take Jiraiya's remains back."

"Anbu were here?" Naruto nodded yes. "If Hokage-sama suspected something then I'm more than certain this mission is no longer valid."

"We can't just leave! What if someone is alive?"

"True, and I won't be happy with the status of the mission until I find out what happened to the merchant. However, this village is on the border. A merchant like this man would have several trade routes into the Rice Field Country. Our knowledge about what Orochimaru is doing inside the Hidden Village of Sound is still as small as it was three years ago. I can't rule out Sound involvement here."

Naruto walked ahead, with an unhappy expression on his face. Perhaps he had hoped to be the hero and return the missing people alive and well back to the village. To find out otherwise must have been crushing.

Pakkun suddenly lifted his head and sniffed the air. "Naruto, stop!"

Naruto stopped and looked back while Kakashi moved ahead to get in front of him.

Kakashi looked around carefully, the hallway was about to end, and he could see it lead to a stairway that led into a huge foyer. He listened carefully, but could only hear flowing water. "What is it?"

"I smell someone, alive."

Kakashi carefully stepped into the foyer: a large room two stories high of open space. There were two huge marble staircases on each side leading down to the bottom and in the middle of the room was a large, pristine-white water fountain. The sound of water came from the fountain, it was still pouring water up into the air and splashing back down in a continuous stream. The entrance was made of glass windows and doors and nearby was several large, tall potted plants, probably the only other thing still living in the mansion.

The individual Pakkun smelled was actually sitting peacefully on the edge of the fountain, resting a hand in the cool water. It was a man about Kakashi's height, wearing a light green kimono with a dark green Grass Village symbol on each shoulder and on center of the back. Strapped to his face, over long wisps of gray hair, was a crude unpainted gray mask with simple slots for his eyes and mouth. Propped against his side was a wooden cane, its top was wider than the bottom beginning with a width as wide as a hand.

"Takegaki?"

"Eh, Do you know him Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi didn't both to look at Naruto as he calmly walked down the stairs. The wall of the room was to his right and from that direction, he could only see the other man's arm dipped into the water. "We fought once, let me take care of this."

"Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto called back, but he felt Pakkun nudge him in the leg.

"Naruto, don't get into the way. That man hates Kakashi, he was once an elite Jounin of the Hidden Village of Grass."

"Once?"

The man called Takegaki stood up, as if waiting for Kakashi. From the new angle, Naruto could see the right sleeve of the man's kimono was empty.

"Until Kakashi cut off Takegaki's arm. For many, a ninja with only one arm is not a ninja. If you can no longer perform hand seals, your effectiveness is nearly gone unless your a taijutsu type."

Naruto started down the steps with Pakkun following, but he kept a distance behind Kakashi. A part of him wanted to be right at Kakashi's side. Only a few days ago he lost one teacher and didn't want it to happen again, but there was tension in the air. There was clearly history between the two, with the man's killing intent and Kakashi's calm acceptance of it.

The Grass ninja finally spoke, but his voice seemed more muffled behind his mask than Kakashi's. His voice had an edge, as if each word were dipped in hate. "Copy Ninja Kakashi, it's been a long time."

"Yes, it has. Tell me, what's going on here? As strange as it seems for Grass ninja to be involved in whatever has befallen this place, I wouldn't have imagined you fell as well."

"I…can't…say." His voice was harsh suddenly as if he really couldn't say. "But know this, despite the situation I will still take my revenge on you! If I still had my arm then perhaps I could have saved my students and my friend from dying for nothing but the ambitions of another village!"

Takegaki raised his hand up, showing the palm to Kakashi. "Do you see this?" They could see a large seed grafted to his palm; flesh and roots hand blended together. "I have prepared this for my revenge for years, moving my chakra into this seed, slowly transforming it into a weapon.

He moved his palm, almost as if to hold the seed as a soft blue glow gathered as he concentrated his chakra further into his palm.

"What is he doing?" asked Naruto, curious since he was someone with experience with gathering chakra in his palm, although what he saw was nothing like Rasengan, he could see the beginning streams of chakra pouring out of the man's hand.

Pakkun spoke softly. "Grass ninja used techniques that can convert chakra into the power of life, they can accelerate growth in any plants, seeds are common items they use to begin their techniques, but I've never seen something like this before."

"NOW DIE!"

Takegaki charged toward Kakashi with incredible speed. He ran well despite the presence of a cane nearby and had his hand set not unlike how Kakashi ran with the Chidori, but the chakra around the seed was still blue and not a copy of Kakashi's technique just a copy of the execution.

Kakashi was unfazed. He calmly watched Takegaki quickly approach him, knowing just like the Chidori, a high speed thrust like that had a weakness. Takegaki couldn't see his counteraction and thus it would fail.

However, Naruto watched all this in horror. From his perspective, Kakashi wasn't doing anything to avoid an attack the other man claimed would kill him.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto instantly focused his chakra into his legs giving him enhanced speed for just a moment. His panic fueled his speed as he got in front of Kakashi to knock him out of the way. With his speed he also believed he had also made it clear from Takegaki's attack.

"Idiot! I could have avoided that myself!" yelled Kakashi.

Naruto didn't even have to time to defend himself as he watched a root launch from the seed in Takegaki's palm and stab him lightning quick, strangely in that moment he was reminded of a frog's tongue striking out at a nearby fly.

"I…thought I avoided it…too." Naruto gritted his teeth from sharp pain as he gripped his left leg. He watched as the seed left Takegaki's palm and pull itself into his legs by the razor sharp root and it all happened so fast that he couldn't stop it.

"Fool," said Takegaki. "Do you think I thought you couldn't avoid a simple seed? I knew you would try Kakashi, but my Death Seed Bullet used its razor sharp roots to attach itself to its nearest victim. Sadly, it wasn't you, but it seems you are concerned for the boy…perhaps I will enjoy watching you as he slowly dies!"

Kakashi quickly pulled out a kunai, prepared to cut off the seed from its roots, but when lifted up Naruto's pant leg, he found only a bloody gash.

"The Death Seed Bullet uses its roots to crawl further inside its victim." Takegaki spoke calmly as he slowly walked back to the fountain toward his cane. "It will continue to crawl, seeking the heart! I wanted to watch you slowly die, just as you had left me years ago. You should have killed me!"

"Perhaps now I will correct the situation," said Kakashi as he gripped the handle to his sword tightly, prepared to draw it out.

"Yes, you will try, because the only way to stop that seed from killing your companion is to kill me. It is tied to my chakra. Once I die it will stop, but I warn you. I will not die easily!" Takegaki, reached back, picked up his cane, and leaned on it with his only hand.

"Then it should not be difficult," said Kakashi. "As I remember it, you were a ninjutsu user and very skilled with a sword, but I don't see your blade on you now. What hope do you have to fight me?"

"More than even your Sharingan can see!"

Takegaki raised his cane up in the air. "This will be enough." His thumb pushed down on something and suddenly three spring-loaded blades, a foot long and double sided, released from inside the cane. One was straight while the others snapped down to form a cross-guard. He twirled in around with a single hand and then held it one-handed like a short spear, with the wooden cane part resting along his stretched out arm, leaving no doubt to his skill with the custom weapon.

"Very well." Kakashi unsheathed his sword. "Pakkun, Naruto, your in the way."

Pakkun bit down on the cuff of Naruto's sleeve and pulled, encouraging him to move away despite the pain in his leg. Naruto finally collapsed on the first steps of the staircase they came from, screaming in pain, horrified to realize the pain was slowly traveling up.

* * *

The whistle through the air and the gleam of a sharpened blade, the two blades smashed down on each other. Kakashi's vertical cut was easily caught against the upper blade and cross-guard of Takegaki's weapon. 

Kakashi hopped back, only to be followed by a thrust from Takegaki's spear and then another, each time Kakashi dodged out of the way, left then right then after the third he made a downward swing to prevent from being gutted, blocking the spear aside and letting it slide past him.

With the spear extended past him, he turned his sword and swung up, only for Takegaki to dodge out of the way this time, but he also quickly spun around, slicing the spear through the air in a complete circle. Kakashi managed to raise his sword high and block the spear from cutting his head off.

The blades went back and forth: swing, parry, swing, dodge, and swing. Kakashi leapt back and moved one hand free from his sword, pulled a kunai from his holster quickly, and threw it, but once it reached Takegaki, he easily blocked it with the broad side of his weapon.

The fight was getting nowhere. Despite only having one arm, Takegaki's weapon had a long reach that could keep him at bay, but the man was also incredibly fast at swinging the weapon even in one hand that he could block anything that could get through.

He knew he needed ninjutsu, but it was hard to let go of his sword long enough to use both hands before Takegaki reached him, swinging the spear.

Another one of Naruto's screams told him he needed to hurry.

Kakashi ducked under a wide swing and managed to back flip out of the way of the returning swing. He landed on the edge of the water fountain, dropped his sword, and made a hand seal.

_Hiding Mist Technique._

Mist rose from the water and filled the foyer instantly. He could no longer see Takegaki, but on the other hand nor could Takegaki see him. He performed another hand seal then after grabbing his sword, he moved again to hide his position. This time he would have to use his hearing more than eyes to find his opponent.

"Using the water in the fountain for you water technique? I hadn't thought of that. I thought we were equally disadvantaged being inside and away from the elements."

Kakashi turned in the direction of Takegaki's voice. He held his sword out in a vertical defensive stance, ready to attack if needed.

"Trying to hide your position? Unfortunately, this won't work on me!"

Kakashi heard the blade rather than saw it, but still he came dangerously close to it as it swung toward him. He dodged to Takegaki's left, assuming the man couldn't maneuver his spear that direction quick enough without his other hand.

His assumption was wrong as the spear plunged into his chest!

He could hear liquid pour onto the ground as the blade twist within him before everything went dark.

* * *

Kakashi could feel the water clone disappear, while pondering its last moments. 

_That shouldn't have happened. _

The water fountain was large, but it certainly wasn't a river or a lake. He didn't have the skill to create a water attack out of thin air and required actual water for his water techniques, but there wasn't enough water in the fountain for a powerful attack.

However, it was more than enough to create a water clone that was meant to probe Takegaki's weakness, but only found a new strength instead.

"Takegaki, how did you attack from that side so fast?"

"An unwanted gift, one with a too high of price that was take from me rather than paid!" Kakashi heard the voice and looked around. Takegaki was close and he could see the faint form of the other man in the mist.

"What?"

"Shall I show you, so you fully understand?"

Kakashi used his speed and skill to get behind Takegaki. With a kunai in his hand he reached around, ready to slash through Takegaki's throat instantly. "That won't be necessary." The kunai slid easily through the old man's throat.

However, the moment he did so he knew something was wrong. His kunai passed through nothing but the stems and leaves of plants and Takegaki's "body" fell to the ground in a misshapen lump of plants.

"Grass Clone? But how?" Kakashi realized just as he used the water from the fountain for a water clone, Takegaki used the plants near the entrance, but it took two hands to perform a technique and Takegaki only had one. _Did Takegaki learn one-handed seals?_

Kakashi waited and listened, very much aware that Takegaki had created a clone to bait him much like he had. He was careful not to be a victim of the silent homicide attack too.

Yet, Takegaki had other plans.

Kakashi heard a loud _clap_. The sound of two hands clapping, "No, not possible!"

"Summoning: Building Destroyer Technique!"

At that moment, the entire mansion went into chaos.

There wasn't even the white smoke common with a summoning. Instead, huge vines burst through the ground, each tipped with giant razor sharp thorns. The sound of stone being crushed and crumbled into dust was deafening. There were huge stems of some giant plant, rising up with covered in spines, rising so fast Kakashi had to hurl out of the way in order not to be impaled or ripped into shreds. He used his sword to cut away any incoming vines as he found himself cornered against stone walls.

When it was over, Kakashi had the feeling he was sitting in a forest made of giant plants rather than trees.

He looked over the staircase in concern, but thankfully, Naruto had crawled to the top with Pakkun, but now he was clutching his stomach in pain. The Death Seed Bullet was still moving and now things had gotten worse.

"How were you able to do this with one hand?" he asked. His mist was largely dissipated by now and he could see Takegaki standing on a huge leaf. His spear was held in place harmlessly under the belt of his kimono with the blades sheathed, reverting it back to an ordinary looking cane.

"I didn't…not with one hand," said Takegaki as his left sleeve suddenly moved as an arm pulled its way through it. He adjusted his kimono with both hands, removing the extra room that he left to hide his new left arm.

With the left hand next to the right, Kakashi could see they were different. The left arm was much more light colored than the rest of his skin and the proportion was slightly off, but still Kakashi realized he must have been able to perform a hand seal with it.

Naruto screamed into the new silence and Kakashi looked over, realizing it was going to take a lot longer than he thought.

* * *

"What is this?" Kabuto desperately hacked through growing vines with a kunai in each hand. 

"The old man is doing better than I thought," smiled Orochimaru. "I thought after all these years his techniques would be rusty, nor would he have the stamina left after everything we did to him." He was doing better than his subordinate was as he had the sword Kusanagi in his hand, swinging in wide, graceful movements. True to one of its names, the Grasscutter, the sword sliced through the vines and leaves with little difficulty. "I suspect this is one of his summoning techniques, a giant plant of some kind."

"This plant is destroying this basement!"

"It does not matter anymore, these corpses have outlived their usefulness, and the trap is almost ready. We would have left this place soon anyway."

"Just who is that Grass ninja to have summoned something like this? Why did we give him that arm?"

"One of the elite of the Grass, until Kakashi was lucky enough to cut off his arm. As someone who can understand the loss of one's hands, I can understand what fuels his revenge. Perhaps, I wanted him to see his revenge before he died."

"Then Kakashi has a chance."

"Kakashi has none, because we also gave Takegaki a new vision that will make him more deadly than ever." Orochimaru's evil laughter echoed through the basement as he looked back to the remains of the other Grass Jounin missing an arm and a Grass Genin missing his eyes.

* * *

Naruto gave Pakkun a weak smile. The pug dog looked at him with a worried expression, things were getting worse for Kakashi, not easier and judging by the pain growing closer to his chest, Naruto didn't have much time. 

He placed his hands together and concentrated as he allowed Kyuubi's red chakra, slowly flow through his body and heal the wounds. He could access the red chakra instantly now, typically when he was angry, but combining it with chakra molding exercises, he learned back in the Academy he could calmly heal most wounds. Even now the gash in his leg was gone and likely the trail the Death Seed Bullet left as it traveled its way through his flesh and blood, but it wasn't enough to stop the seed alone.

However, if he concentrated, he could actually heal himself before the seed could even move, forcing it to nearly stop. No matter how much its root cut into the flesh ahead of it, the flesh was healed before the seed had a chance. With luck, it would slow it down long enough for Kakashi to win.

Yet, in the back of his mind he could feel Kyuubi's rage, the unlimited animal-like aggression wanting to rise within him and react with its first instinct. Naruto struggled to force those emotions down, fearing he may loose himself.

* * *

Kakashi jump down from one of the tall vines and he knew instantly that he was in trouble. His feet didn't land with the hardness of the stone floor, but softness of tall grass and soil. Takegaki now had a huge arsenal to fuel his techniques. 

_That summoning was really to bring the grass to him, not to cause the destruction that the plant caused. _

He removed his Anbu mask and straightened his forehead protector. He was reluctant to use his Sharingan now, he had used his eye too early, wasting it on Genin when he assumed a Jounin may have patrolling outside too. However, he had no choice. Not if he was going to defeat Takegaki in time before it was too late for Naruto.

Just then, a stream shaped like a large dragon made of grass fell toward him. The stream hit an errant vine between him and it, the grass shredded through it like the grass was made of razor sharp blades.

Kakashi moved and ran to the remains of the water fountain. The rising giant plant hadn't completely destroyed it. The water wasn't being pumped into the air anymore, but plenty of water still laid in the fountain itself.

He formed a few quick seals. "Water Element: Water Encampment Wall."

A barrier of water rose up from the water fountain and shielded him just as the incoming stream of razor sharp grass began to strike. The tiny blades of grass hit the water and become useless immediately.

The water from the wall, fell back into the fountain after the grass attack was over. Using the same water, Kakashi performed another set of seals. "Water Element: Water Dragon Bullet Technique."

A current of water shaped like a dragon rose from the water. It was more slender than he had used before, the amount of water in the fountain limited its size, instead of the near unlimited water when he used it near a river or lake, but Kakashi knew more than just how to copy a technique, he could also use it skillfully.

He focused his chakra through the smaller amount of water, giving it more force as it blasted through the collection of vines and leaves, clearing a straight path between him and the source of the grass dragon. The other man was expecting the attack as it hit him straight on, but by then it had lost much of its force and only knocked him to his feet, but that was enough.

Kakashi focused his chakra into his hand, until it became visible and releasing the distinctive sound like a thousand birds chirping.

_Chidori._

He charged forward, running toward Takegaki, ready to thrust it forward. His Sharingan was already predicting the possible counterattacks and dodges and Kakashi was more than ready for them.

_Aim for the heart, end this before its too late._

Takegaki struggled to get up, perhaps now finally showing his age. The wisps of white hair covered his face, but the gray mask fell to pieces around his feet.

He looked up, his face twisted in anger and Kakashi purposely met his look, eye to eye, in some small way respecting one of his most dangerous opponents before he killed him.

It was a mistake…

The eyes he met were not the dark, sharp eyes of the Grass ninja he fought several years ago. Instead, they were mixture of bright red and gold as if they were on fire, bulging out his eye sockets as if they were about to jump out. They were an advance bloodline for sure, but one Kakashi was sure Takegaki didn't have before.

It suddenly occurred to him that he had stopped, that his feet no longer charged forward and that the Chidori had stopped. He was _frozen_!

It was as if some horrible pressure had glued his feet to the ground yet all he saw were the two burning eyes looking right at him. He couldn't even look away.

His Sharingan was still predicting every future move, but the predictions were useless since he couldn't move himself.

Takegaki slowly started walking toward him, the burning eyes bearing down on him even more. The other man pulled his cane out and let the blades snap back out, but Kakashi couldn't even make his feet move.

"These eyes are a advance bloodline of the Hidden Village of Grass. Not as powerful as your Sharingan, but as you can see, as long as you look into these eyes there is no escape."

"H-How?" he managed. His voice didn't even seem to want to work underneath the penetrating gaze. His body couldn't move, but his Sharingan was still draining chakra, weakening him even further underneath the gaze.

Takegaki spoke softly. "Another unwanted gift. The price was my prized student, the owner of these eyes. I taught him well and I know very well what these eyes are capable of. Remember, I saw right through the mist and found your clone."

_Perhaps_, Kakashi thought, _but if I had two Sharingan eyes that never really deactivated, I wouldn't be able to function unless went around blind. Perhaps he has a weakness and doesn't even realize it. This fight may have already put a strain on him that I can use. If only I could move!_

"With the basic abilities of the eyes alone I can finally have my revenge!"

Takegaki pulled back the spear and prepared to thrust it into Kakashi yet all Kakashi could do was stare right into the burning eyes.

"Ah!" Kakashi felt a sharp pain, but not from the spear in front of him. It came from his back.

Takegaki turned is eyes away and looked up. With the burning eyes no longer on him, Kakashi could feel his body sag from no longer being underneath the pressure of that gaze. He looked behind him and saw a shuriken embedded into his back.

"Hey! Kakashi-sensei, wake up!" Naruto's voice was louder than ever as he yelled down the stairs. When he saw Kakashi frozen like that, he used a shuriken to help break him out of the gaze. The combination of pain and the removal of the gaze was enough to free Kakashi. "Wake up and kick his ass!"

"Naruto!" yelled Kakashi. "Don't look into his eyes!"

"Eh?"

"How are you still alive?" asked Takegaki. "Enough time has passed for the Death Seed Bullet to hit your heart."

"Don't underestimate me!" yelled Naruto, but he was careful not to look at Takegaki even the slightest. He saw Kakashi stop right in the middle of Chidori, so he didn't need to be told looking into the other man's eyes was bad. He only watched his own hand clutching his stomach were he could feel the seed beginning to travel up again.

"Don't be a fool!" Takegaki yelled. He held Kakashi at bay with the spear while lecturing Naruto. "I have been apply chakra to that seed for years, slowly evolving it into the perfect weapon that Kakashi couldn't escape. Nothing you can do will stop it."

"Nothing?" From the tone of Naruto's voice, Kakashi knew he took that as personal challenge. Naruto placed his hands in a seal, as if to mold more chakra, but the suddenly the room was filled with an explosion of red chakra.

It was pouring out of him and Naruto's features warped: red eyes, long teeth, and claws instead of nails. The bloodshot red fox-eyes sent shivers down Kakashi's back, they were like Kyuubi's. The foul red chakra in the air didn't help either.

"What is this?" Takegaki yelled, not even paying attention to Kakashi now.

Naruto moved his hands out of the seal and raised one so they both got a clear view of his sharp, clawed fingers…before he plunged his hand into his stomach!

The claws ripped past his own clothes and into his flesh, his own blood spilled to the ground. Naruto reached into his own guts, grabbed the seed, and pulled it and its struggling roots out all at once. He held it up for Takegaki to see, before crushing it in his grip, letting it welt underneath the fiery aura of red chakra.

The hand sized open wound in his stomach slowly closed as flesh whirled together until it left nothing but unbroken skin under the whole in his clothes.

"This horrible chakra? Is this the power of human sacrifice, a Jinchuuriki?"

Kakashi turned back to Takegaki, whose was looking at Naruto now. He pulled the shuriken in his back out and slipped into his pouch. "He is one of _my_ precious students." He quickly unsheathed his sword and made a vertical cut that Takegaki barely caught with his spear. "Naruto, good work. Now I'll finish this."

"You don't have any hope against these eyes!"

"You're new at this, so I'll explain." Kakashi's voice was calm as ever, despite being tired, he focused his thoughts on his new strategy. For the last two and a half years he had been practicing how to fight Itachi and asked Gai to teach him every trick he knew how to fight against a Sharingan. While these eyes weren't the same as the Sharingan, the principle was the same, don't look eye to eye. Takegaki's trick worked once, but it wouldn't work twice.

Takegaki forced his sword down, but he took a step back to free his sword from the reach of the spear and thrust it forward. The spear rose and barely knocked the thrust out of the way.

"I don't know how you got those eyes, but I assume someone with medical-nin abilities implanted them. The problem is an advance bloodline is more than just a body part, even in eyes like ours, they are part of the individual as well. Because of that after using my Sharingan it drains me and I have to keep it covered to keep it from drawing out chakra just for looking at everyday things."

Kakashi moved back a distance, drew three kunai in his hand, and threw them. Takegaki tried to black them, but only managed to block two, the other went into his shoulder.

"If your like me, perhaps you can't turn them off, but unlike me you would have to go around blind to stop them completely. All this time you've been using chakra into those eyes, worse they've been putting a physical strain on you. I imagine like me you are winding down by now, perhaps worse since you have two and you aren't used to the strain like me."

Takegaki pulled the kunai out, blood soaked his kimono. His face had twisted at the thought about having to go around blind, making him less of a ninja than he had been without an arm. "It doesn't matter. I may die today no matter what I do, but I will kill you! When you took my arm you made me into nothing!"

"Whatever happened here goes beyond your revenge. The villagers, your students, even yourself, what happened? Who did this to you?"

Takegaki didn't answer, he merely charged forward with his spear, screaming in rage, a mad feeling over things he could no longer control. Kakashi stood still at first, but as the spear drew closer he then moved past the spear without blocking it in a move that wasn't as simple or graceful as it looked and let Takegaki run right into Kakashi's sword by own charge.

"H-How?" he asked, as blood dripped from his lip, the sword was all the way through his chest.

"Idiot. Even if I was using my sword instead of the Chidori, my Sharingan is still active. I predicted your movement, used my own speed to get inside the opening."

_He could have lasted longer, but he got too emotional. What happened here? Who would do this to someone?_

Kakashi grabbed the spear and pulled it away from Takegaki's weakening grip as he stepped back, pulling his own sword out of Takegaki simultaneously.

Takegaki fell on the ground, on his knees, his kimono growing redder by the second. All around him, the plants and vines drew away, disappearing back into the ground, leaving only crumbled stone and dust everywhere.

"At least, you didn't take my arm again," the older ninja managed to joke despite the pain. "Make sure, I'm dead this time."

"I will."

"Wait!" Naruto ran up to them with Pakkun following behind him. "What about the people? Did you kill them!"

Takegaki looked away and remained silent.

"No," Kakashi said calmly. "He's as much as a victim here as they were."

"What?"

Takegaki struggled as he put a hand to his head, "It's true, but I still can't say. He…he used…a…" The hand fell, lifeless and limp.

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**Next Chapter: Silent Death!**

_Author's Note: No Anko this time. Actually, I was going to have her for a short segment and the Takegaki fight was going to extend into another chapter, but I decided to give Anko an entire chapter dedicated to her and finish this Grass fight in one chapter, in case it isn't popular. So next chapter: Anko versus Mokushi and the one after that is a flashback chapter of Anko's life with the Fourth before he was the Fourth. _

_Okay, I've made up the grass techniques and the Grass advance bloodline. All of it is based on various anime, bended to work within the real of Naruto. I used grass variations of common techniques we've seen (dragon bullet, walls, clones). I also wanted a bloodline, just to play around with the idea that every village has their own advance bloodlines. With eyes being the more common we've seen, I decided to go with that since it went with the idea that Kabuto could have taken the eyes from one of the students and placed into the Jounin to make him even more dangerous. I was inspired by Gennosuke's eyes in "Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls" (another great ninja anime), but they aren't the same thing. I wanted something that could counter the ability of the Sharingan to see counterattacks and dodges when using Chidori. In this case it paralysis so Kakashi could see all the counterattacks and dodges he wanted, he just couldn't move, but just like the Sharingan, it requires looking into the eye and may have really been good for one shot, but as Orochimaru was hoping, that one shot could have been enough to kill Kakashi. _

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Version 1.1 

1.0: Original

1.1: Corrected a mistake, Hidden Village of Sound is in the Rice Field Country, not the Tea Country.


	8. Silent Death

Shameless Plug: Snakes and Foxes is my ongoing series, but I'm also writing another story called Name in the Whirlpool. It is about the Fourth when he was a Genin. He has his own unique teammates and has to pass Jiraiya's version of the bell test. I've written it with attention to canon while producing something original, just like I have with Snakes and Foxes. If you like my writing, why don't you try this story. You can find it in my profile.

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**Snakes and Foxes**

A/N: This chapter is a little late, I had many great ideas for the next chapter, but I had some trouble figuring out where to start here. This Anko chapter will lead into a huge Flashback chapter with Anko and Yondaime's relationship. This chapter has a fight scene, which I admit is a little challenging since we've only seen Anko fight once, but using her stats from the official Databook and looking at some potential techniques, she might have learned, I believe it works out. As always, I have further notes at the bottom.

Reviewers: Thanks for the reviews. It's important to know if I'm going in the right direction to keep my audiences attention (hint hint for those who like the story and never review). Also, being a new author its nice to know I'm doing well at all.

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**Chapter 08 – Silent Death**

The sun slowly rose from the horizon. The sky was partially cloudy and the sunlight filtered through the clouds, created the affect of a red dawn.

Anko scowled at it, reminding her of what started her recent problems as she continued jumping tree to tree, almost near her destination.

If the Akatsuki hadn't killed Jiraiya, then the Legendary Sannin would have been still alive to talk to his informant. The information would have told him about Orochimaru, instead of her, and he would have stopped Naruto from running into what very likely was a trap. Instead, the kid had run off without any sort of plan or backup and here she was chasing after him doing the very same thing.

She and the Anbu hadn't seen a thing of the Akatsuki since they left, but that wasn't surprising. The destruction they found told them that Jiraiya proved his legendary status, but the individuals who outnumbered him were masters of their specialties, each prepared to fight him. However, she had no doubt their victory cost them and it was remarkable they were bold enough to try to take Naruto.

Although, they had certainly given Naruto a beating, from what he had told her, once he started using Kyuubi's power they had started to back off and retreat. She thought it was likely to heal and wait for another opportunity, but unlike Naruto, they couldn't heal back into perfect shape within five days. Yet, once they did heal, they wouldn't have Jiraiya in their way the next time. It was just another reason why she had to get him back to Konoha.

That is if she could rescue him from Orochimaru first.

The sight of the mansion filled her with both relief at reaching her destination and nervous expectations of having to face Orochimaru once again. The last time hadn't gone so well, and she was still hard on herself for not killing Orochimaru. She ignored the words the Third Hokage had said at the time, when he tried to reduce her guilt, because she thought if she had been smarter then perhaps the Third wouldn't have died.

A strange thing about the mansion broke her out of her inner turmoil and almost made her loose her footing on the tree branches as she reached the end of the forest. Her eyes opened wide as she saw the entire first floor smashed to pieces. The windows were broken, the entrance collapsed, and the destruction went all around.

"Looks like the party has already started," she spoke to herself.

Anko jumped down, grateful to feel solid ground, and landed next to a dead body. She inspected it: a Grass ninja, not even wearing a flak jacket so he was likely a Genin. The young man had an efficiently placed kunai stab wound, they could have been marks of a very skilled Anbu.

She remembered that the village had asked for an assassination mission. Other than the mission going to the Anbu, she didn't know much, not even her Anbu team she traveled with, she had been so quick to reach the mansion to find Naruto, she hadn't even thought about any other Konoha ninja being nearby. Still, she had some small hope that the Anbu would have found Naruto and dragged him way, but judging by the destruction she guessed it was unlikely.

Anko looked around, the entrance was smashed and there were concrete blocks in the way. Just as well, she didn't want to walk in the middle of a ninja battle while techniques were being slung about, especially if one of them was Orochimaru.

Instead, she climbed up the roof, searching for a window.

The sound of a kunai flying the air made a distinctive sound, like a whistle as the wind dragged behind the sharp edge of the blade. It was dead silent, but for that sound, there were no animals around after the destruction below. When the kunai flew toward her, she easily dodged it.

Anko turned and saw a dark figure in the light of the sunrise. It was a Sound ninja according musical note symbol to his forehead protector. A black veil covered his face and he wore the dark flak jacket of a Sound Chuunin or Jounin. Dark eyes stared at her with a determined intent to kill.

"Ah, not special enough for a pretty pink bow?" she mocked him. The Sound had a fashion sense she neither understood nor desired. The soldiers wore gray and black animal camouflaged scarves and the special soldiers and Orochimaru included wore unusually thick ropes tied around their waist with the bow at their back. This one merely wore a black veil and the Sound's version of a flak jacket.

The ninja didn't show any offense to her words. In fact, he stood in a relaxed stance, that wasn't overly rigid. Around one of his forearms was a metal gauntlet ,with a seven round holes in a pattern. The device was vaguely familiar to her.

"Don't tell me," she said as she gave him twisted smile, "I have to defeat you in order to enter? That won't be a problem."

Three throwing kunai fell from each of her sleeves and into her hands. The throwing kunai were smaller than a regular kunai and lacked much of a handle to hold, but were still very effective to throw. She caught each one between her fingers.

Anko threw the first set straight at him, well aware a capable ninja would dodge them or even block them, but a split second after she threw them she caught the subtle movement indicating which direction he was going to dodge and threw the second set. Ordinarily, the person's attention would be on the first set and would move right into the second. However, this wasn't an ordinary person.

_He's fast_, she thought as the Sound ninja managed to dodge out of the way of both sets of kunai.

She extended her arm and willed the chakra needed. Four snakes, impossibly long, flew out from inside her trench coat sleeve, stretched across the rooftop, and hit with enough force to break wood and tiles.

The Sound ninja leapt up and started running along one of the snakes like it was high wire. She started to pull the snakes back into her sleeve before he reached her and he jumped into the air and threw a spread of three shuriken. Anko dropped a regular kunai into her other hand and managed to block one and dodge the others.

The Sound ninja landed back on the roof, looking up with those dark eyes. "My name is Mokushi," he announced in an articulated whispery tone. Once again, he stood in a relaxed stance as if his defensives were down, but something told her that they weren't. "You make too much sound."

"What did you say!" she yelled back. She took his statement as an insult, but she seemed to prove it for him.

"A ninja should be silent. All those kunai you throw made sound in the air that I could easily hear them. Those snakes were even worse."

"I don't have to be silent in order to kill you," she told him with a smirk on her lips.

He charged forward suddenly, closing the distance between them in no time and swung his arm. Just as she dodged away, getting a close look at the device on his forearm as it swiped closer to her face, she realized where she had seen them before.

"Shit!" She threw herself back, despite being painfully aware of the world starting to spin around her, clutching a ringing ear with a hand. "That is just like the device that Dosu Kinuta used during the Chuunin Exam that Orochimaru interrupted. Isn't it?"

"That is correct," he whispered.

"I was an examiner at that Exam," said told him with pride. She took that job seriously, it was the first of several that told her Konoha trusted her greatly. As a result, she remembered the abilities of every ninja from the final group of Genin. "The amplifier uses sounds that can't be heard, but can damage the ears to make a person nauseous."

"You did well to dodge it, but do not mistake my skill with these with that of a Genin like Dosu. Like him, I can manipulate the sound with my chakra, guiding it to a target like your inner ear, but I can also use the Vibrating Sound Drill in very different ways."

Mokushi entered a taijutsu stance. The glare of the sunlight caught the amplifier, making it shine.

"I can create a silent death."

A high-pitched whine emitted from the amplifier and Mokushi formed a pair of hand seals. Anko could immediately feel the effects of genjutsu as her vision blurred and the roof tiles beneath her feet seemed grow and spread along the sky, creating a landscape of tiles that stretched to the horizon.

_He's hiding the roof!_ She realized, one false step onto an illusionary tile could cause her drop to from the two story high mansion. Fall might not kill her, but it would give him an opening. Even worse, since she realized that the tiles might be fake, each step in an attack or dodge wouldn't have her normal confidence and speed, once again giving him an opening.

She smiled at him, showing no fear, but if that bothered him, he didn't show it as she charged forward using a speed she couldn't match, closing the space between them instantly. She tried to form hand seals, but he didn't give her the time.

Anko expected another swing toward her ear, but he didn't.

Instead, his aim was toward her collarbones. Once again, his strike didn't connect, but it didn't need to. A powerful vibration hit her, making the very air she breathed vibrate. The air felt like it was escaping her lungs, leaving her nearly breathless.

Anko backed away, but was painfully aware that she couldn't see the real edge of the roof behind her, but he didn't stop his motion and raised a foot in the air and released several kicks in a quick snapping motion. She managed to dodge, but felt the force of air from his kicks against her skin.

_If only he gave me time to dispel this genjutsu then I wouldn't have to worry about falling, but damn it! He isn't letting up!_

She backed away again and released three more throwing kunai into the air, but he dodged them again.

He swung again, but this time the swing wasn't fake. She blocked the open palm strike against her forearms, protecting her face, but the force of his attack sent vibrations down her arms, leaving them tingling in pain.

Mokushi spoke, "Many Sound techniques rely on the fact that sounds of certain pitches and frequencies can annoy or damage the human ear, but sound is also a vibration of the air. Yet vibrations can travel through the body, the human body is composed mainly of water, so it is like striking a giant bell. With these vibrations, focused through my chakra, I can damage any of your organs."

"Thanks for the lecture," she snapped as she rubbed the feeling back into her hands.

"Would you like a demonstration?"

Without waiting for an answer, he moved forward again. She tried to dodge, but with his speed and ability to focus the vibrations through his chakra, it was useless. He was only pushing her further back toward the end of the roof.

This time the vibrations spread to her stomach. It felt like he kicked her in the stomach. She landed on her knees, clutching her stomach in pain, but she knew she didn't have time to wait for her insides to settle down. She started coughing and spit out some blood that had traveled its way up to her mouth.

"This next attack with stop you heart, this is the end."

Anko's options now were slim. While on her knees, she couldn't dodge and there was no telling how much roof was left behind her. Mokushi's quick and rapid attacks had forced her in a corner.

As Mokushi rushed toward her to make a final strike, she raised a thumb to her mouth, wiped away some blood on the corner of her lips, and formed several hand seals.

"Summoning Technique."

A huge green snake appeared from under a cloud of smoke, thicker than the length of her hand and much longer than she was tall. It circled around her from her shoulders to her feet, in a comfortable protective embrace, and hissed at Mokushi, forcing him to abort his lethal strike.

With the snake unaffected by the genjutsu and free to protect her, she formed her hands into a simple hand seal to mold chakra. It took only a moment to concentrate her chakra and disrupt the chakra flow of his genjutsu.

"Something you don't know about me," she spoke up. "I'm extreme good at breaking out of genjutsu. Not an entirely useful ability, but it makes a genjutsu like yours useless."

The landscape of roof tiles that stretched to the horizon disappeared, revealing on only the tiles of the real mansion and her feet on the edge of the roof that she was very close to have fallen off.

Anko broke the hand seal and slid a hand down the silky snakeskin of her snake. It had been a long time since she had summoned one. The snakes didn't have good reputations in Konoha because of Orochimaru and the more intelligent ones were loyal to their master and not his former apprentice. Luckily, the snakes were also treacherous, so ones like this were more than happy to help her.

"You've had your fun," she told Mokushi who eyed the snake carefully. Apparently, experience with Orochimaru had already made him weary. "But its time for _me_ to end this."

The snake uncoiled itself and propelled itself lightening fast despite its size toward Mokushi with its fanged mouth open wide. He jumped through the air to avoid it and threw a spread of shuriken that hit the snake along its length, but the skin suddenly turned dry, empty, and shredded against the shuriken.

The snake had replaced itself with its own cast off skin.

It was hard to lose a huge snake, but when Mokushi landed, he looked all around. He quickly turned and barely caught sight of the snake as it launched toward him again. Mokushi shielded himself with is arm and the snake's mouth closed on his forearm, crushing the sound amplifier strapped to it. The only sound it released now was a metallic crunch.

He prepared to strike his free palm on the snake's head, with his taijutsu even that could be deadly, but as he raised his open palm, a kunai hit the dead center of his palm.

"Too late," yelled Anko.

Mokushi didn't have time to scream in pain as the snakes tail wrapped around him. Unlike its comfortable embrace of Anko, the snake was painfully constricting around him.

While the snake was silent, Mokushi certainly wasn't as bones began to break. First an arm, then a leg, and a few ribs. Soon his arms were useless to form techniques and his legs useless to escape.

Anko walked over and pulled her kunai out of his hand. She watched without passion as Mokushi's eyes widened with horror as the snake's opened its mouth as wide as possible and closed in over him.

She watched with an empty expression as the Sound ninja disappeared into a growing bulge in the snake's belly. She remembered another reason she didn't like summoning snakes, they liked to be fed when it was over.

"Anko."

The voice behind her said her name in a familiar and almost fond way, but it made her blood run cold. She heard that voice in every bad memory that crept into her every day, making her feel miserable and every nightmare that woke her up in a cold sweat.

She turned away from the snake's meal and looked to see a flickering pale image of Orochimaru. It wasn't his physical form, but no doubt, some sort of technique he had learned since they parted ways.

"What a surprise to see you again," said the holographic image. He wasn't actually there, but his smile still sent shivers down her spine. "I was just thinking about you recently."

"Really?" she said with real bravado. Unlike others, she refused to shake fearfully in his presence. He had already used, broken, and twisted her body and soul. There was nothing else to be fearful of. "I've heard you've been kidnapping people again, are you getting nostalgic for the old age?"

"In a way yes."

"I didn't think you were the sentimental type, especially after you abandoned me like trash several years ago."

The hologram chuckled, the sound itself distorted into a buzz. "The same old Anko. You haven't changed a bit, but I suppose my old experiments are responsible for some of that. That's exactly why I wanted to see you again."

A cold shiver went down her spine. After all this time, she was still just a guinea pig to Orochimaru. Once he had thrown her away as a failed product, but now she didn't feel any better at the idea that he wanted her back. She had outlived her usefulness once and he sent her to her death. At the time she was more than happy to do so, now she was free she never wanted to do that again.

"First Naruto, now me, your becoming a collector," she managed with a brave front.

He frowned and she recognized that rare look of intense displeasure. He often looked that way when things didn't go his way. She received it often when he became her unwilling teacher.

"My goal was only to kill Jiraiya, but the Akatsuki took that away from me, ruining my delicate planning. Killing the Kyuubi kid is only revenge for taking away my opportunity."

"Why do you want to kill Jiraiya-sama?"

"To finally free myself from unnecessary bonds."

Anko thought she understood, in her last years with Orochimaru she remembered him telling her that cutting away unnecessary bonds would make her stronger. She had reasoned that if she had no friends or lover other than Orochimaru, then the secret she kept about what he was doing would be more secure.

However, in her youngest memories, past the haze of forgotten memories in the later years of her service to Orochimaru and back when she was a happy apprentice to a Legendary Sannin, things had been different. Orochimaru had been different. He was still cold, calculating, and snake-like, but she remembered he was also friends with Jiraiya. It was an unusual friendship, perhaps the friendship was more on Jiraiya's part, as Orochimaru usually had some sharp insult to make, but it was a type of friendship born from them being teammates, something she would never know for herself, but a friendship nonetheless.

"You wanted to kill your friend! Why?"

Orochimaru laughed maniacally with an evil glint in his snake eyes.

Anko was confused. Killing the Third Hokage had been an added bonus while destroying Konoha, all part of an act of revenge for choosing someone else for the Fourth Hokage. She didn't understand why he would lure Jiraiya out in the middle of nowhere, just for the crime of once being his friend.

"Remember one of the last things I taught you. By breaking our bonds we become stronger…then again, you never were that intelligent of a student. I wonder if you can understand when you couldn't even do it when I gave you the perfect opportunity."

"What are you talking about?"

The amused smile left his lips and he frowned. He looked at her critically, sensing something in the tone of her voice and the look of her expression. "Surely you haven't forgotten your last mission for me?"

She didn't remember, she couldn't remember going on a mission for Orochimaru before the lab was discovered. Anything for Orochimaru was usually helping to hide the lab's existence and eventually she had outlived her usefulness even after that. He experimented on her and each time she lived through it instead of dying like everyone else, he put her back to work until he grew tired of her again.

"You don't do you," he read her expression and started laughing in amusement.

"I don't know what you're talking about, you abandoned me in Konoha, half dead from your experiments, leaving me to be found with your mess."

"I did leave you, but you followed me like a dog," he was amused as he told her with each cruel word what he remembered. "When you found me, I sent you to act out a parting gift for the new Fourth Hokage. It confused the Anbu on my tail and if you had succeeded then the Fourth would have been dead before he had a chance to put on his robes, but you must have failed considering he lived on to fight Kyuubi and you lived to be standing here."

"Lived?" Her voice was now uncertain. She didn't want to believe him, but every word felt true.

"Of course, I didn't teach you the Twin Snakes Double Assassination technique for practice. You were meant to make yourself useful and take out one of my enemies, but I see you couldn't even do that. Just like when you were a child, you were terrible with techniques."

"Shut up!" she screamed. It was the same mocking as when she was young. She hadn't been talented enough to teach for a genius like him and he let her know it everyday. It hurt worse when she was just a girl, but those old bad feelings were bubbling up now. "I don't remember any of that, but if it did happen its only because of your brainwashing!"

"Oh it wasn't me," he smiled evilly.

Anko told herself it had to be. She had done so many horrible things because of it. Konoha had forgiven her for them, but they had not forgotten, earning her a career in the dark underbelly of Konoha with few chances for missions outside of Konoha, where others would have to risk trusting her. On the bright side, the number of missions on her profile didn't look out of proportion with her fake age, but only recently had she finally gotten recognition for her good work. Being the second examiner was something, she was quite proud of and took very seriously, but Orochimaru had ruined even that.

"You're only telling me these things to unnerve me," she told him.

"Unlike you, I remember everything about our time…together." He said the last part, after licking his lips with his serpentine tongue, insinuating more than just her help in his human experiments. It called up another set of dark memories that she didn't want to remember. "I remember Sarutobi-sensei having a technique that could make a person forget memories involving certain people or things. Did he make you forget everything you did for me? Did he have guilty conscience for making you my student?"

"I remember those memories just fine!" she hissed.

"But it's too bad. I always wondered what you did to keep _him_ from killing you?" he asked with a sly smile. "He certainly had a reputation in the Stone Village for being a fearsome killer. A kunai across your throat would have saved him a lot of trouble."

His words were meant to insinuate something, but she couldn't remember. Everything he said only reminded her a nightmare.

_No! Not now_, she thought as she clutched her head in pain, images flashed by, each new to her, and yet vaguely familiar. The torrent of images wasn't going away, leaving her dizzy and forcing her to collapse no her knees, she tried to repress a whimper, but she didn't even know if that was successful.

Anko managed to pry her eyes open, past a splitting headache, and look at Orochimaru. He had a strange, quizzical look on his face until his lips curved back into an evil smile.

"Perhaps I can help you with this," he said as his holographic hands formed a seal. "I have a matter to attend to, but I leave you with this gift for old times sake."

Anko felt the technique forming, weaving around her, leaving her in darkness.

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**Next Chapter: Anko's Flashback (Life and Death, how many ways has the Fourth effected Anko?)**

_Author's Note: Well now my last original villain has also been killed. I hope they were entertaining while they lasted. Oh well…I need to make room for Orochimaru's trap. _

_First off, Orochimaru's hologram was based on the Akatsuki holograms in their cave. Since Orochimaru was an Akatsuki, he would also know that technique. The Akatsuki leader was able to use his technique on Sasori's subordinates even though they were physically there and he wasn't. So I'm assuming a hologram can use certain techniques, which allows for Orochimaru using a technique on Anko on the roof while he was really in the basement._

_During the fight, I needed to arm Anko with more than just kunai and the Hidden Shadow Snake Hand Technique. I decided being Orochimaru's apprentice it is logical she could summon snakes. My guess is she couldn't summon Manda (plus he and any other intelligent snake may refuse to work with her now), but she has a high stamina, which means lots of chakra, and decent ninjutsu ability so it's reasonable she can summon a small or large snake. _

_I studied Anko's stats from the official Databook to get a feel for her abilities. They are a little different, especially when compared to other characters. Her highest scores are stamina (which plays in nicely with the Naruto inheriting some of her traits) and genjutsu. The genjutsu is strange because we've never seen her use any and because she has a low intelligent (again like Naruto). Every other person with high genjutsu has high intelligence. However, the genjutsu score represents 3 things really: the ability to case, see through, and dispel. Technically a character with a high score could be lousy at casting but great at dispelling and since dispelling requires lots of chakra, which she would have, I've decided for the purpose of this story she has a very good ability to dispel, but is not a genjutsu type.. This again ties in nicely with Naruto for those who read Part 2 of the manga. _

* * *

Version 1.0 

1.0: Original


	9. Tsunade's Interlude

**Snakes and Foxes**

A/N: My apologies for being so late, I've had troubles writing the flashback chapter, in fact I still haven't finished it. Instead, I've posted a short interlude I thought of to let everyone know this story is still alive. I'll keep on working on the flashback chapter, please be patient because it should be great.

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**Chapter 09 – Interlude**

The sky above Konoha was a perfect blue and the warm sun shined down the village on the new morning. The Hokage Tower was peaceful, no meetings or disruptions, so it was a perfect time for Tsunade to take one of her naps instead of doing paperwork.

However, she couldn't sleep. She hadn't been able to sleep for days, a lingering dream haunted her thoughts, leaving a bad feeling that wouldn't go away. It had been days since that dream and yet the effects hadn't gone away.

Instead, she occupied herself on a mystery.

Mitarashi Anko's file was in front of her, she flipped through the pages as she carefully read every word. She was now more than aware that some of the entries were false. After closer examination she could easily see where Anko had been modifying her year of birth, keeping her age at a constant twenty-four, but there were other changes as well and they were more disturbing for the fact that they weren't done by Anko.

"Sarutobi-sensei's fingerprints are all over this," she sighed in frustration. Secrets were a natural part of a ninja village, but she couldn't understand what had happened to require the Third Hokage to rewrite the woman's history or that he would leave nothing to tell is successors as to why he did it.

Tsunade's thoughts went back to the last time she talked to Anko.

_"What is this?" she asked softly. Her fingers were wrapped around the other woman's wrist, her chakra already extended her medical-nin senses, telling her something was very wrong. The skin felt smooth and soft as a young woman's skin should feel, but in her mind, she saw snake scales stretched painfully tight across Anko entire body. _

_"Y-you d-don't know?" Anko managed to speak through the pain in her head. "The Third and the Fourth knew."_

The memory of her last conversation with Anko echoed through her head. Tsunade told the other woman that she would get to the bottom of this when she returned, but it didn't stop her from searching for the truth while Anko was gone.

Tsunade picked up a picture from the file. It was Anko's team photo taken at the time Anko graduated from the Academy. The ten year old girl looked so happy standing next to her new teacher, Orochimaru.

"Orochimaru, what did you do to that girl?"

Tsunade examined the picture closely. Anko was the only student assigned to Orochimaru at first. Sometimes it turned out that way, sometimes the number of graduating students didn't total the right number to be divided into complete groups of three. With only a few of those teams not being sent back to the Academy, it was sometimes rare for these one or two Genin teams to exist, when they did after a year or so new graduates were added to the team to fill out a complete three Genin team.

It was even curious as to why Anko had even been assigned to Orochimaru. She wasn't a genius, in fact her intelligence scores were so low Tsunade was reminded of Naruto. The only things that stood out from Anko's early scores were she had a strong stamina, unusually high for a kunoichi, and a knack for breaking genjutsu.

Yet, neither was interesting enough to keep Orochimaru's attention. Evident by his unhappy look in the picture, Tsunade guessed the little girl was not the student Orochimaru would have picked out for himself.

"Sarutobi-sensei, what in the world were you thinking, placing that poor girl with him?" she muttered. Tsunade knew that the Third often placed the Genin with the right teacher, but sometimes it was the right Genin for the teacher. "Orochimaru always was your favorite, did you think you could save him with this girl's innocence?"

Tsunade wasn't nearly as angry about the Third's preference to teach Orochimaru as Jiraiya was, but she also recognized Orochimaru as his favorite and perhaps his hope for a new generation, much as he had been for his teachers, the First and the Second.

Yet, if Anko really were twenty-four, then at the time she would have graduated then Orochimaru's cruelty and obsession should have already been known to the Third, even if the human experiments weren't at the time. The Third would have to have been blind to place Anko's future in the hands of someone so dangerous.

"But she's not twenty-four, is she Sarutobi-sensei? You must have paired them together back when you thought he could still be saved, but you were wrong weren't you? I guess even Hokage's can make mistakes."

Tsunade looked at the picture closer, looking at Orochimaru. "I may be old, but my memory isn't gone. I remember when you looked that young. With your obsession with youth, it maybe hard for others to see, but see it. Damn it…there must at least be ten years difference, what the hell did you do to her?"

She slammed her fist down on her desk in anger. It wasn't amplified with her chakra this time, but it still made her new desk rattle.

The truth was Tsunade, barely knew Anko, but perhaps it was because Anko was the student of one of Tsunade's teammates or perhaps it was her medical-nin instincts that led her to care about anyone with an injury. It might even have been her role as Hokage, the Third used to say everyone in Konoha became one of a Hokage's important people.

"Whatever the case, I need to get a closer look at her skin," she told herself. "There was something wrong, like an organ about to fail. Anko doesn't know it, but she's in trouble. I hope it holds together long enough for the mission."

"Tsunade-shishou?" Sakura poked her head through the door and looked around, expecting to find someone. "I thought you were talking to someone."

Tsunade chucked with embarrassment at being caught talking to herself, "No one's here, come in Sakura."

Her apprentice walked in her office, holding a tray with both hands. On the tray was a fresh cup of green tea, the heat evident as steam rose off it.

"I thought you might like some tea."

"Thank you, Sakura."

Sakura watched her master carefully as she drank the tea, noticing that Tsunade was wide away reading over a file rather than taking a nap on paperwork.

"Are you still not sleeping?"

"I'm fine."

"How can I tell if you use that technique to also cover how exhausted you must really look?" said Sakura. Her voice had a stern quality she rarely used on her own master, the girl had long learned to be careful of her master's temper, but her concern was evident on her face. "If this goes on much longer you won't be able to keep it up."

Tsunade frowned at that. No one in Konoha had seen what she really looked like except for Jiraiya and Naruto that one time and Shizune and Sakura for being her students and the ones she most trusted when she let the technique off at certain times.

"The feeling will go away and then I'll be fine. Besides, it's about time for him to return with that brat. He'll be as healthy and perverted as always, despite the white hair he's not an old man yet."

Sakura nodded in agreement. She really didn't know what she could say to take away the fear that Tsunade had after her dream days ago. Tsunade refused to talk about it or why it disturbed her so much.

She looked around, curious to what Tsunade could have been doing. It was rare for Tsunade to go through the files without Shizune prodding her along.

The picture that Tsunade had been holding, caught her eye, mostly for the young man in it. "Orochimaru!"

Tsunade sighed, knowing Sakura was rather sensitive to anything that had to do with Sasuke, including Orochimaru and any of his activities.

Sakura picked up the picture and studied it. "Who's the girl with him, on of his students?"

"That's Mitarashi Anko."

"What? The second examiner from my first Chuunin Exam!" Sakura studied the picture harder, comparing her memories of a loudmouth, sadistic woman with the happy little girl in the picture.

"The same," she told her student as she took another sip of tea.

"Wow, I remember when I first saw her she seemed _Naruto-ish_."

Tsunade about spit out the tea as she laughed at Sakura's description. "Naruto-ish! I suppose she is in a way, loud and exuberant. She was like that as a child too, even though I didn't match my memories of that little girl as being the same person as Anko when I met her again. Orochimaru was never happy with her, I guess her abilities were beneath him and a waste of his time. So she declared she was going to 'kick the ass' of Konoha's number one rookie."

"Now that sounds like Naruto," laughed Sakura. She replaced her laughter with a sad smile as she remembered all the times Naruto challenged Sasuke to prove himself. "Who was the number one rookie back then?"

Tsunade looked at her apprentice with a clear look as she spoke with words that were filled with pride, "He was the boy that grew up to become the Fourth!"

"Uzumaki Kayaku?"

"What? You know his name?" Tsunade blinked with surprise.

"Kakashi-sensei told me almost two weeks ago, that Naruto was named after him."

"Oh, of course." Tsunade hid her expression as she took another drink of tea.

Sakura didn't have time to question her master further as the doors to the office swung forward.

"Hokage-sama!"

Tsunade turned and saw three Anbu kneeling just outside of the door of her office. She recognized them, not by their names, which she forgot, but by their masks: a Wolf, a Bear, and a Cat.

These were the Anbu sent with Anko on her mission.

Tsunade stood up, the cup of tea forgotten in her hand. "Sakura, you can leave now."

Sakura gave her an uncertain look, but followed her order. Tsunade watched the girl leave, managing to move around the three Anbu who blocked the door, before speaking to them.

"What is it? Where's Anko?"

"A-Anko-san remained in the village. She ordered us to returned to Konoha as soon as possible. We've been running as fast as we could for a day. We…found something."

"What?" she asked, but slightly put off by the hesitant way the Wolf spoke. From what she remembered, it wasn't like this individual at all.

Their heads bent down, because of their masks, she couldn't see their expressions, but something in their body language worried her.

"Hokage-sama," spoke the Bear. "When we entered the village we found Jiraiya-sama."

"Jiraiya?" Tsunade's body started to go numb, everything within her was screaming for the dream not to be true.

"Apparently he had been ambushed by the Akatsuki. They…killed him."

The cup of green tea slipped from her fingers and crashed into the hard floor, cracking it into several pieces. Hot tea hit her bare feet, but she couldn't feel it. She couldn't feel anything at all, as she slipped into darkness and feel buckled beneath her. She could only hear the worried yells of the Anbu as she fell to the floor.

* * *

**Next Chapter: Anko's Flashback (really this time)**

_Author's Note: The one man or two man Genin teams were based on the fact that Kakashi graduated at 5 years old, yet his teammates who are the same age didn't graduate until nine. Since it is probably impossible to find a group of three five year olds, I guessed Kakashi was trained alone by the Fourth for a few years, until Obito and Rin graduated. I figured Anko might have had a similar situation. She said she was one of his subordinates, which Kakashi also has called Team 7 his subordinates once, so my guess two nobodies (probably your regular nondescript mean looking Genin) were added to Team Orochimaru years later. _

_The Anbu left in the other village in the morning and arrived in Konoha by morning, they've been running non-stop. I'm assuming from the rescue Sasuke arc that Konoha is about a day away from the border of the Rice Field Country, so the Anbu's arrival should work. _

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Version 1.1 

1.0: Original

1.1: Corrected a mistake, Sound village is in Rice Field Country, not the Tea Country.


	10. Anko's Flashback

**Snakes and Foxes**

A/N: It's finally finished! I appreciate everyone who's been patient, in return I've posted this GIANT chapter! Don't expect a huge chapter like this again, whew, but new chapters should be coming out regularly now that I've passed this block. This one has been kicking me all over the place. I had so many good ideas, a few had to be put one hold, but it was also hard to write these scenes. Yet, I think they came out well. Remember to review!

This is a flashback chapter, much like Chapter 2, "Kakashi's Flashback", taken from several points in Anko's past. This is my version of what Orochimaru did to Anko.

Rating: M

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**Chapter 10 – Anko's Flashback**

_Anko rolled into a fetal position on top of the mansion's roof, it wasn't the best place to do so, but she was beyond caring. She gripped her skull with her hands, as if to stop the feelings bursting out of it. Every nerve in brain felt like it was on fire, the invisible flames traveling through every memory until it found something to burn. Images flashed by her eyes and sounds echoed in her ears. A panoramic daydream of forgotten memories from another life was unleashed. _

_She managed to chuckle despite the situation, once again Orochimaru had given her a new definition for pain. It was just like old times. As the sun continued to rise from the horizon, she filled the new morning with her screams._

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The news spread through the village like wildfire. All it took was a single messenger bird and several talkative ninjas to spread the word beyond the Hokage Tower to every corner and now almost every villager had heard the news. 

The ninjas sent to fight in the third ninja war were coming home.

Mitarashi Anko pushed her way through a crowd gathered behind the front gate, not afraid to push and shove her way to the front. She ignored their protests as she moved past them, her mind was set on one thing. _He_ would be returning.

The twenty-four year old Chuunin looked around, noting the makeup the crowd, these individuals were teammates, friends, family, or lovers to at least someone who had gone to war. She wondered to herself just which one was she?

She double-checked her appearance, made sure the fishnet body suit clung to her voluptuous curves while her green flak jacket and leather mini-skirt provided some modesty. Her inner thoughts reminded her that she wasn't here to seduce him, but her turmoil of feelings got the better of her. It had been a long time since she had seen _him_.

The crowd settled a bit, as the waiting grew longer. Anko could hear the casual conversations that were happening all around her.

"Just wait patiently for your father to return," said a young woman to her excited children. Anko was about the age some kunoichi started having families, she hadn't thought about it, but if she did, would it be with _him_?

"I'm so proud of my daughter," said an old man to a pair of old friends. She doubted her father would be proud of the things she has done and neither would _he_, but she was fighting every dark instinct to walk away, in order to do the right thing for once.

"I wish we could have gone with him, we're a team after all!" complained a ninja, worried over a comrade. Anko herself was forced to remain. Her sensei used his position to insure she wasn't selected so she would continue to assist in his research, a job she has kept for several years. She long suspected it was because he never thought her intelligent enough to steal the research for herself or use it against him.

At first, the research was innocent enough, Orochimaru was always curious about how techniques worked and performed a number of research and experiments that Konoha considered a contribution to the techniques that made them strong as a ninja village. Yet, they never saw the dark aspects of his research or some of the more disturbing techniques he was learning for himself and things had only gotten worse as Konoha's attention was on the chaos of the war and not his activities.

A man who stood beside her spoke with a nervous edge to his voice, "I'm glad they're returning, things have been strange in the village lately."

"What do you mean?" asked his companion.

"Haven't you noticed the disappearances?"

"I thought it was the Anbu, it is war time after all, they are just taking way those who may have connections with the Stone ninja."

"Nonsense! My neighbor disappeared, the man was born and raised in Konoha, but he was never that great of a ninja and he certainly never had anything to do with Iwa!"

A cold chill went through her body. She knew exactly what the men were talking about, better than anyone did, because she was right in the middle of it all.

Her inner thoughts were in turmoil, her sense of right and wrong versus her devotion to Orochimaru and the horrible images she had seen in the lab versus Orochimaru's love.

_Damn seal!_ She cursed it in her thoughts as she brought her hand to the back of her neck. _I can't tell which are my thoughts anymore._

Once upon a time, all she wanted was Orochimaru's attention. She wanted some sign that he cared for her as his student and wasn't merely an unwanted distraction.

The desire to please him and the loyalty of a student were feelings she already had, so she didn't notice or care as the cursed seal made her more devoted as it infected her body further over the years. By doing something she wanted to do anyway, it was hard to notice her free will being slowly stripped away.

Yet, by the time Orochimaru started doing things she thought were extremely wrong and ordered her to help him, much of her ability to choose not to follow his orders had been taken away. She couldn't disobey him and did things she knew was terribly wrong. A part of her did these horrible things without question while another was screaming inside as she felt the cursed seal taking away more of the good person she was. By now, much of her freedom was gone.

However, the cursed seal couldn't stop her feelings for someone else…

Another man in the crowd spoke, "I hear one of the village's ninja is really quite something, even the Stone ninja are afraid of him. He's called Konoha's Yellow Flash."

"I heard he took on an entire army of Stone ninja! He's at the level of a Kage, but he's only twenty-five!" shouted another villager.

_Kayaku!_

Anko held a memory in her mind and kept it there until her inner turmoil went away. She ignored the conversations around her and imagined a young man with spiky mane of blond hair, brilliant blue eyes, a wide cheerful smile, and a stubborn personality.

The picture in her head gave her a happy smile.

She had loved two men in her life. Orochimaru was one of them and Uzumaki Kayaku was the second. Her love for him was the one thing the seal couldn't stop no matter how much of her free will it took away. Orochimaru had ordered her more than once to forget about him, but she fought the seal with the remaining willpower she had left.

Anko and Kayaku had a relationship back when they were younger, but Orochimaru had interrupted their love lives. He turned the devotion created by the cursed seal into a twisted love and used her body to break Kayaku's heart. With the real reason for the sudden turn of her emotions hidden, Kayaku suddenly left her life, but that didn't stop the real love she felt.

She still remembered the look he gave her as if he was a kicked puppy and she had been the one to kick him. He felt used and didn't understand her devotion to Orochimaru or the cruel manner she had flaunted it. He never figured out she was being used, but she didn't blame him. No one in Konoha had figured out Orochimaru's dark deeds either, not even his own teacher.

Her shame kept her away, but she felt sad when he was with someone else and if they were together for some small reason her heart would pound like teenage girl with a crush. However, she knew if she got too close, Orochimaru would do something again to split them apart.

From Orochimaru's point of view, it was annoying to have an assistant in love with someone else, especially someone who was brilliant with techniques. Anko might not have been smart enough to figure out why Orochimaru was interested in certain things or what any technique he made really did, but someone like Kayaku could figure them out. He wouldn't even have to be near it, all Anko would have to do is tell him about her day.

Later his annoyance turned to anger after each of Kayaku's successes. Kayaku's way of creating new techniques, some of which didn't even use hand seals, was a great annoyance to a man whose dream was to learn every technique. As Kayaku's skill began to rise above his own teacher's, Orochimaru felt threatened by the young man's skill.

_Kayaku is someone who feels very strongly for right and wrong._ She told herself. _He may even hate me for what part I've had with Orochimaru's experiments, but he would want these stopped too. This damn seal won't let me tell anyone else, but maybe I can tell him!_

The huge wooden doors of the front gate slowly swung out, breaking her from her thoughts. The crowd was suddenly quiet as a huge group of ninjas began walk into Konoha, exhausted from their ordeals, but suddenly energized at the cheers they were getting.

People yelled out names when they saw a familiar ninja. Anko kept her eyes on the group, searching for a familiar head of spiky blond hair.

The returning ninjas and the crowd began to intermingle into one as family or friends found each other, which made it hard to see or move, but the second she caught a hint of spiky blond hair she swiftly made her way through the crowd and found him.

"Kayaku!" she yelled. He turned toward her, his face was look around at the crowd with a serious expression that she wasn't familiar with. She remembered him as being cheerful, although he was frustratingly cool during combat.

Anko grabbed him by the collar of his flak jacket and kissed him square on the mouth, pushing hard against him. Perhaps due to shock and maybe some enjoyment he didn't break the kiss until after several seconds before pulling her away. She hid her disappointment, but she liked the feeling of his warm hands on her shoulders.

"Anko?" he said, he looked bewildered, which reminded her of the first time she kissed him. She understood his confusion, given their history.

"I'm glad your back," she told him. She felt the smile on her face, an honest good smile that she hadn't used in years, back when she was just a happy girl who knew nothing of receiving or giving cruelty. "I have to talk to you about something."

Kayaku eyed her carefully, the serious expression was back, and the sharp blue looked down her. It occurred to this wasn't the Kayaku she remembered, perhaps he was hardened by war or perhaps he merely distrusted her after what she did, but his arms stayed where they were, which gave her hope.

"Sensei?"

Anko looked behind Kayaku and saw a familiar head full of gray hair.

"Kakashi!" she greeted happily as twisted a bit to look behind Kayaku. The masked teenage boy was standing behind his teacher, trying to figure out he stopped in the middle of the way, becoming an obstacle for others, forcing them to move around him to get past the gate.

"Anko-san?" Her presence was a surprise for him as well, given he was around when she broke up with his teacher and he had to deal with the broken hearted Jounin, who visited one too many bars with his own sensei afterwards.

"You've grown!" she told him. She seemed genuinely happy, like the Anko he remembered. "Still wearing a mask to cover your fish lips?" she joked with a big grin, it was an old joke, she enjoyed teasing him about what may have been under his mask. She examined him, catching one most significant change about him as her eyes looked at the headband tilted down to cover his left eye. "What's with the new fashion statement?"

"It's a long story," he told her. She nodded, but was still confused.

"So where's Obito and Rin?"

Kakashi's eye drifted down and Kayaku looked away.

"Oh," she whispered as she understood. It was war after all. "Kayaku, I'm sorry."

"Why are you here?" asked Kayaku as he finally pulled his hands off her shoulders. His voice was hard, his emotions uncertain. She always had a place in his heart, even after what happened, and a part of him wanted to lean on her after returning from the war and after the loss of his students.

She looked away, unable to voice it into words. One of her hands rose to finger the wooden piece attached to her necklace, an old nervous habit. "I…haven't been myself…for years." She grasped the wooden piece inside a fist, letting the curved edge cut into her skin. "It's taken everything I have just to be here…but there's something important I need to tell you. It's not just about me. It's about Konoha!"

Kayaku and Anko looked at each other, eye to eye. She only saw seriousness, but he saw a hidden desperation.

"Okay," he told her. Kayaku motioned them to walk out from under the gate and past the crowd until they were in an open space.

"Are you still assisting Orochimaru-sama?" he asked casually. While the rift between them had separated them, he wasn't blind. He knew she was still very close to Orochimaru. "I've heard his research is suppose to improve the Leaf's techniques, but I haven't seen anything from it. I'm beginning to share Jiraiya-sensei's point of view about Orochimaru. That Konoha rates him too highly."

Anko's hand rose up to the cursed seal. Kayaku couldn't see it from underneath the collar of her flak jacket, but he watched her carefully as her face twisted with indecision.

"I…the truth is…"

_The truth is Orochimaru has been doing human experimentation on live subjects and I've been helping. I wasn't in control of myself, but that doesn't make my hands any less covered in their blood. However, something inside me is screaming for him to stop, but I don't know what to do!_

Why was it so hard to say? Was it really the cursed seal stopping her or was she afraid of what he would think of her, would she lose him forever?

_The truth is I'm a slave to Orochimaru. He placed a cursed seal on me that made me absolutely devoted to him and it took away my free will. He violated me just to hurt you. The truth is I still love you. I want to tell you the truth, but it's so hard!_

Kayaku's eyes narrowed as he watched her while the words wouldn't come, but the frustration in her eyes told him she was trying to say something, but the words were trapped in her own mind.

"Sensei! Look around."

Anko turned due to Kakashi's warning and saw a group of Military Police walking their way. There were four, one was a man nearly thirty years old, and the rest were young men. From their looks, they were also all members of the Uchiha clan.

_Did they discover Orochimaru on their own!_ She thought as she backed away fearfully. She wondered if they discovered the horrors in the lab, but if they did that meant they knew she had helped. _No! It's not my fault! The damn cursed seal took away any control I had, I didn't want to do those horrible things! _

She turned back to Kayaku, wanted to explain desperately, but his eyes were locked on the Uchiha. In fact, both he and Kakashi looked a little nervous, as if they were expecting it. She turned back and saw the older Uchiha's eyes were on Kakashi.

"W-What's going on?"

Kayaku spoke, but not to her, "I see my message must have reached the Uchiha clan, but I'm guessing since you're all here it wasn't enough."

The older Uchiha frowned, "My name is Uchiha Fugaku. We are not here as Konoha's Military Police, but as representatives for the elders of the Uchiha clan. They wish to see Hatake Kakashi."

Anko looked at Kayaku, "Kakashi? What's going on? Is this about Obito?"

Kayaku's eyes looked at her. He saw the real concern she had for him and Kakashi at that moment and decided to trust her, "Kakashi lost his left eye, but before Obito died he told Rin to replace it with one of his Sharingan as a gift."

Anko turned back to Kakashi in surprise and looked, realizing what the long story about him using his forehead protector over his eye was really about. As someone who knew very well the length that people go to in order to protect a secret, she knew Kakashi might be in trouble.

The group of Uchiha moved closer, "That's what it said in your message, but you weren't there to witness it. Instead, we'll leave it to the elders to determine if it's true or if Kakashi stole the Uchiha's bloodline ability."

"He didn't steal anything," Kayaku answered coldly. "It was done on Obito's request and transplanted by Rin herself."

"Yet your other student is conveniently not here either, so we still only have your word."

Kayaku's eyes burned with anger, but Fugaku stood his ground. Even though he was here in a matter of clan politics, he was looking at the situation as police officer. There wasn't any malice in his tone of voice, just professional detachment. Anko gathered there wasn't enough evidence to support Kakashi's side of the story, but she knew Kayaku and his students. She didn't know Obito and Rin well, they became his students after their split, but she knew Kakashi wouldn't steal an eye.

She turned to Kayaku, "Hey, why not talk to these elders yourself and explain?"

"Because even if they accepted the truth, it is likely if Kakashi steps one foot into the Uchiha district he won't be walking out with that eye or worse. They'll likely interrogate him to determine how much he's learned to use it. If too much they'll decide that he's a risk, that he knows its weaknesses and strengths and that can't be allowed either."

Fugaku smiled in good-natured amusement, "You make us sound like the Hyuuga."

An arrogant sounding young Uchiha spoke up, "I wouldn't expect someone without a clan like you to understand, _Uzumaki_."

Anko bristled with anger at the mocking tone used to say Kayaku's family name. In reality, it was name he created himself, but it was always intended for the family and clan he hoped to one day create. Once upon a time, she imagined having that name as well.

However, Fugaku placed a hand on the youth's shoulder and gave him a stern look that hinted at his own displeasure at the comment.

"I would speak more carefully," the older Uchiha's grip tightened in warning before releasing it. He turned back to Kayaku, "Forgive him, but he is correct in one thing. This is an Uchiha clan matter and that boy's left eye is of Uchiha blood. He is coming with us."

The three young Uchiha walked forward, ignoring both Anko and Kayaku's reactions and moved toward Kakashi. Anko tried to move, but Kayaku blocked her with an arm, urging her to stay put as he moved toward the three to stop them.

"My student isn't going anywhere with you," he told them calmly.

Uchiha Fugaku moved in his way, his dark eyes hadn't changed into activated Sharingan yet, but the tension in the air rose as two elite Jounin prepared to fight. Fugaku appeared serious, but Kayaku suddenly grinned.

Kayaku's backpack fell to the ground as the person strapped to it suddenly disappeared and was instantly behind Fugaku and at Kakashi's side. Kayaku punched an Uchiha and then kicked the other simultaneously, knocking them both out of the way. He reached into Kakashi's pack, pulled out a kunai with an odd shape and four characters written on the handle, and blocked an incoming kunai thrown by the third Uchiha and then quickly blocking Fugaku himself as he rush forward with a regular kunai in his hand. The two men stared at each other eye to eye.

"I couldn't even see him," complained one of the Uchiha as he picked himself up.

"What was that? It wasn't a Body Flicker," remarked Fugaku, the expression on his face said he regretted not activating his Sharingan sooner.

Kayaku didn't answer, but someone else did.

"Oh ho! You've created another technique haven't you Kayaku?"

They all turned and saw the familiar red and white robes of the Hokage as he approached them. He had a grin on his face and yet he wasn't upset to see several Military Police fighting a returning soldier near the front gates of the village.

He walked up next to Kakashi and ruffled the youth's hair in a grandfatherly gesture.

"Hokage-sama," said Fugaku as he backed away from Kayaku and stood at attention. "Forgive us, but the elders…"

"Want to protect their bloodline. Understandable."

"But Hokage-sama!" objected Kayaku.

"I understand your position as well. How about we all go to the elders and take care of this once and for all."

Now Fugaku objected, "But Hokage-sama!"

"I have important matter to discuss with Kayaku, I've been waiting for him, but I see now what held him up. I suppose if I tell the Uchiha elders as well, it might give more weight on the side of settling this manner peacefully," he told them. He smiled broadly as he raised his pipe to his lips, leaving no doubt he was up to something.

"Very well," Kayaku stepped back.

Anko sighed with a relief. For a minute, there she thought a high-level ninja battle was going to break out right in front of the village gate.

The Third eyed her carefully, "Anko you should stay here."

"But I had something to tell Kayaku first!" she argued.

"It's alright Anko," said Kayaku. His voice wasn't as cold to her as before and it was even a little warm. "I promise after this is over we'll talk. How about meeting at the ramen stand for supper?"

"O-Okay," she reluctantly agreed. She didn't want to put it off, she would keep trying, somehow getting it past the cursed seal. Things would be bad after that, however, after seeing him go to such lengths to protect his student, she felt hope that he would do the same for her.

Anko watched them all leave until she was alone again. She hadn't expected to have to wait. In fact, she was already late to arrive at Orochimaru's lab, but she expected to have told her story to Kayaku by now. If she didn't go, Orochimaru might suspect something and send his other subordinates. If she had to fight them, she might have to activate her seal just to pull to be on even ground with them. However, once activated it might remove the last threads of free will she had left, the ones that had led her to this point so far.

She had no choice, she had to go back until she could meet with Kayaku again.

* * *

Orochimaru's lab was well hidden in the dark bowels of Konoha. It only helped to increase the inhumane atmosphere inside the lab itself. It was dark, cold, and reeked of death. There were many dead bodies, each tied to a board propped up against the wall or laid on the floor, left there like specimens. White sheets covered the worse of the bodies, concealing the twisted shapes underneath. 

Anko entered the dark room and sighed with relief that Orochimaru wasn't there.

She approached the examination table in the center of the lab. On it was one of the sheet covered bodies that had managed to break the grip Orochimaru had over her, to her surprise there was actually a limit over how much right and wrong that Orochimaru's seal could make her ignore.

After lifting up the sheet, she observed it once more, letting the horror of it make her more determined than ever to reveal what is going in the lab. The body was now very dead, but not before a very painful, horrific death as Orochimaru used a prototype of a new technique he was trying to create. So far, it had been very unsuccessful as it left the poor human as a twisted, dried husk and its face twisted into a terrified expression. The husk was dry and started to peal like a snakeskin, but there was nothing youthful underneath.

She slammed her hands on the table, while trying to steady herself. It was too much, body after body, each yelling and screaming as she watched. Not even the curse seal could stop her revulsion over Orochimaru's latest obsession, but it did stop her from stopping it herself and actually made her help him. That made the vile rise up her throat.

This is why she needed Kayaku. The vice-like grip the cursed seal had on her mind wouldn't allow her to betray Orochimaru to anyone else. Only the individual she felt strongest for in her heart, a part of her that not even the cursed seal could remove, although it had certainly tried before, leaving only shreds for her to desperately grasp.

"Anko."

The words sent shiver down her spine.

"Orochimaru-sama!" she turned and found him watching her. She tried not to let the nervousness creep into her voice, "I thought you were gone."

"I was, but you were late too." He smiled slyly at her as he watched her with his golden eyes, eyeing her as if she was a mouse who stumbled on a hungry snake.

"I was waiting at the gate." She knew better to completely lie, he would know and it was be bad for her. "Konoha's ninja returned from the war. I wanted to see an old friend."

"Would that friend be Uzumaki Kayaku?" he frowned.

"Of course not Orochimaru-sama! You forbidden me to speak with him before, I wouldn't disobey you."

"I've heard a disturbing rumor that Sarutobi-sensei has decided to name Uzumaki as his successor," he hissed.

Anko's eyes widened as she realized what the Third was talking about earlier, his important news that would influence the Uchiha, if Kayaku were made the Fourth Hokage then he could protect Kakashi by using his position to convince the Uchiha to leave him alone.

However, she didn't realize what her expression revealed to Orochimaru.

"I'm sorry, Orochimaru-sama. I know you wanted that title," she tried.

"No matter, I'm finding I have no more use for this village and its people. It's too constricting to my research. That includes useless subordinates."

"But Orochimaru-sama!"

She didn't have time to object before Orochimaru's tongue shot out, wrapped itself around her arm, and jerked her off her feet. She fell hard on her knees and was temporarily dazed while his tongue released her wrist, but her other hand reached for a kunai.

"Do you think you can fight me?"

Her hand stopped over the kunai, she wasn't sure if it was the seal again or if she was just frozen in fear.

"Anko, you were always so strong willed," he crouched down and caressed her face gently like a lover. It made her sick to realize once she enjoyed that touch. "It was one of your few good qualities. It is why you have survived so long when others haven't. You survived my teachings. You survived the cursed seal and resisted it longer than any of the others. Perhaps we should find out if you can survive my newest technique."

Orochimaru stood up and looked at the examination table. She followed his glance and saw the twisted body.

"No!"

He activated her cursed seal through a hand seal. It suddenly flared to life, burning across her skin and mind. He ignored her screams as he continued to speak, "Perhaps you will survive again where others had failed."

* * *

It was an odd perspective to witness the experiment from the other side of the table. A part of her felt it was a proper punishment for standing to the side and watching it so many times without trying to stop it. Although, at the time her mind was under Orochimaru's control. Only now, she was feeling her own fear as he performed each step in the ritual. 

Her first reaction was to struggle on the examination table, but as she should have known, there were thick leather strapped across her. It was the same as she had witnessed many times before, as the people struggle uselessly.

Anko kept one thought in her mind, that Kayaku was waiting for her. She strengthened herself, willing her body to survive what would come. She knew she would survive it, if only to see Kayaku again. She wouldn't let him think she'd abandoned him again, even as the cursed seal tried to burn away the remains of her free will.

Orochimaru wrapped her head to toe with in bandages against her bare skin, each strip already written on with black ink as if it were a ninja scroll. He had already prepared them, sealing a special power within.

She tolerated the humiliation of the preparation and prepared herself to weather through the incoming storm of pain.

"You should be thankful," said Orochimaru as he walked to the end of the table. "I recently made a breakthrough, that should allow for success. You probably won't end up like the others."

She didn't even bother to voice her false confidence.

He ignored her as he stood near the end of the table and quickly performed a long series of hand seals, "Immortal Snakeskin Sealing Technique!"

The sound of crackling energy from the technique was nearly lost under the sound of her screams. Underneath the bandages, the effects of the technique focused the energy into reshaping her flesh into something else, but it felt to her as if her skin melted and tightened across her body.

She never heard Orochimaru's joyous laughter as he realized it was going to succeed as she slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

Anko dreamed she was dead. Lying on the examination table with a white sheet pulled over her face like all the other dead bodies. She dreamed Orochimaru bringing out his sharp scalpels as he cut into her, performing an autopsy to discover where the technique had gone wrong again. 

She told herself, it was just a dream…

"AAANNNKKKOOO?"

Her mind felt sluggish and she could only hear distorted sounds. She couldn't remember how long it had been: minutes, hours, or even days. However, all she knew was it felt as if Orochimaru peeled off her skin and then sewn it back on painfully tight.

"AANNKKOO?"

The voice above her sounded alien to her ears at the moment and her blurry vision could only see a spot of green light in front of her eyes. Wherever the green light went, her body stopped hurting. She could also wiggle a bit now as she realized the leather straps were gone, but she didn't feel like it now.

She tried her voice, but found it rough and harsh due to her screaming earlier. "Orochimaru-sama?"

"Anko?"

The distortion of her senses due to being half awake and half somewhere deeper than sleep itself finally went away, but the voice that repeated her name wasn't Orochimaru, but old and gruff, yet very familiar. Her eyes flashed open in recognition and her heart pounded in fear.

Standing above her was the Third Hokage.

"H-Hokage-sama?" she struggled, but as she managed to rise up physically, something in her stomach managed to rise up as well, causing her to bend over and throw up. The Hokage skillfully dodged out of the way, as he remained at her side, patting her on the back. He continued to unwrap the bandages around her head and neck, while examining her with concern in his old eyes.

"It's alright now," he told her in a comforting tone as she curled up over the edge of the examination table. He pulled up the white sheet around her shoulders to provide her some extra warmth in the cold, damp lab.

"Where's Orochimaru-sama?" she asked weakly. The Third blinked at her in surprise at the amount of concern in her voice.

"Orochimaru has managed to escape, but the Anbu will find him," he told her. The tone in his voice suggested it was meant to reassure her, but it had the opposite effect.

"NO!"

Her arm lashed out, catching the Third in complete surprise as he was knocked out of the way, unable to stop her as she moved off the table and started to run on unsteady legs, covered only in a white sheet and bandages all over her.

"I have to find Orochimaru-sama!" she yelled. He could see she wasn't in her right mind and was reluctant to use a technique to stop her, especially in her current physical state.

"Anko, wait!" he yelled, but she ignored him as she entered the hallway and disappeared within a maze of traps that she knew better than him.

"Orochimaru, what have you done to her," he whispered as he watched her disappear, memories of the happy little girl she had been were on his mind and so was the decision to place her with Orochimaru.

For the second time in one day, despite all the techniques he knew, he found himself reluctant to stop someone from moving past him.

* * *

Other than the front gate, there were other ways of getting out of Konoha, especially if you are in a hurry. Some of these paths were ideal especially for a ninja escaping in the middle of the night. One such path was secured by Orochimaru years ago to ensure a quick escape if he ever needed it. 

It was also a path that Anko knew very well.

Anko ran through the hidden path after securing the white sheet around her to help cover the bandages that covered her head to toe. With Orochimaru ahead, she didn't give any thought to what happened to her after the technique or to the fact that she was still alive.

"Orochimaru-sama!" she yelled ahead into the darkness.

At the moment, all she could was panic over what happened to him. She didn't think about how much more of her body the cursed seal had infected after Orochimaru activated it or how much more of her free will had been taken away.

Instead, she ran all the plans in her head. Orochimaru was not so blind to believe his experiments would have gone on forever unnoticed. In fact, he had planned on it. She was aware of each plan and where Orochimaru would have gone. She knew she could find him.

Yet, she was a little surprised that he would find her.

"Anko."

She smiled with relief and noticed he didn't seemed harmed at for someone who managed to escape the Third Hokage and a team of Anbu.

"Orochimaru-sama!"

He frowned as he watched her approach him. He observed her carefully, taking not in something that he knew and she didn't. His demeanor was noticeably different than when he wanted to use her for something or intended to do something cruel to her. Instead, he seemed irritated that she was there at all and while she noticed these things, because of the cursed seal she couldn't care less.

"What are you doing here?"

Anko's face twisted in confusion, but her voice kept her concern for him. "I woke up in the lab alone…except for the Hokage. He said Anbu were after you!"

"Like Anbu mean anything to me," he hissed. He had already proven once tonight that it only took one technique from a Jounin of his caliber to kill a group of Anbu.

She approached him while unwrapping bandages around an arm to reveal perfectly normal skin, but it didn't feel normal. "My skin feels strange, but I'm alive so the technique was a success?"

He snarled. "The technique worked, but it failed to do what was intended. It is a dead end, which will force me to start back to the beginning in a new direction, but now that I don't have to bother with hiding my research, perhaps I can get more work done. I'll achieve my own goals and desires without the constrictions of Konoha."

"Where will we go?"  
Orochimaru eyed her suddenly, his golden snake eyes looking very intensely. She thought he was displeased for some reason, but then he smiled warmly and brought a hand to caress her face, which she happily leaned into.

"I have one more mission for you Anko," he told her. "Konoha must pay for what they have done to me. As the Hokage, I could have raised them to greatness, but instead they choose another. For their punishment, I want you to kill the Fourth Hokage."

At those words, everything came crashing down.

A small part of her started screaming. Suddenly she wanted to pull away from the gesture that was too intimate for a teacher and student, but her feet wouldn't move.

"K-Kayaku?"

"Yes, I want you to kill Uzumaki Kayaku," he smiled, knowing full well the grip the cursed seal had on her, even if some part of her was able to love Kayaku, she couldn't resist his order.

"Yes, O-Orochimaru-sama."

"I suspect you'll find in back in the village celebrating being named Hokage. He is the student of that fool Jiraiya, so I imagine he's in one of the village's bars or clubs tonight. If you hurry you can complete this mission tonight."

"Then where do I find you?"

"I'll _find_ you," he smiled innocently. "But remember, no matter what you have to kill him, even if it takes using the Twin Snakes Double Assassination technique."

"Y-Yes," she frowned, knowing that there wouldn't be anything left of her to wait for if she used it.

Orochimaru stepped away and continued down the path and Anko watched him until he disappeared.

* * *

Running around in a white sheet and deteriorating bandages were hardly the best option when moving through the seedier parts of Konoha, unless the woman liked being ogled by strangers, which in this case Anko did not. 

Her first order of business was finding appropriate clothing, before being tempted to kill someone for his inappropriate actions. The first to do so luckily got off with being knocked out, left in an alley, and having his kunai holster and all his kunai taken from him. He was lucky she didn't decide to test their sharpness.

With her own apartment likely being watched by Anbu in case she did something as stupid as return to it, she had choice in finding new clothes somewhere else. That place happened to be the first bar she checked out.

There was no sight of a blond spiky mane of hair at this place and neither did she see Jiraiya either, figuring he would be out celebrating with his former student in a place like this.

"I would have had to kill him anyway for coming to a place like this," she mumbled to herself. Kayaku wasn't a super pervert like Jiraiya, but she was sure the older ninja had corrupted him in some way.

_Look who's talking_, she thought to herself as she locked the storeroom from the inside after knocking out a waitress. The woman was crumbled on the floor, wearing an orange kimono that caught Anko's eye. Anko stripped the kimono off the unconscious woman and placed her white sheet over her. As she pulled it on, she sniffed it, smelling the flowery perfume still on it, a welcomed difference to the smell of death the bandages had.

Before tying the obi of the kimono shut, she ripped off the remains of the bandages, leaving them in a pile on the floor, wrapped the orange kimono around her, and tied the obi into a bow. Then she pulled the hairpin from the woman's hair and placed it in her own.

Her hand instinctively went to her neck, she just realized her necklace with a carved wooden piece was missing, likely Orochimaru pulled it off of her before his experiment on her and it was still in the lab, but with it missing after wearing it all her life she felt naked.

_After tonight it won't matter anymore, _she thought sadly. _I might as well be dead after this._

"I'll also borrow these, okay?" Anko asked the unconscious woman as she took her sandals. "I'm looking a lot better now."

She checked the waitress before leaving, making sure the woman was safe locked up in her own storeroom, since Anko had after all taken the poor woman's clothing.

With that taken care of she left and checked the next place, glad that Konoha kept most of these types of places together on the outskirts of the city. It made her job easier without being seen by Anbu. So she went from bar to bar, some of them closer to men's clubs and other as close to a brothel as Konoha would allow. In other words, these would be Jiraiya's favorite places.

By the fifth place she checked, she was almost sure that she wouldn't find Kayaku. For that matter she wasn't even sure how long had passed since Orochimaru used that technique on her. She felt as if she had slept forever, but Kayaku was still celebrating then perhaps only days had passed or worse, only hours, which meant her failure to meet him for supper was still on his mind. Would he feel like celebrating after that?

Yet, driven by the cursed seal she couldn't give up.

It was in the sixth place that she finally found him.

The bar was practically empty, highlighting its lone occupants with the soft glow of its paper lanterns. Kayaku was still dressed in his Jounin clothes, but appeared relaxed while filling his cup from a bottle of sake. Besides, for him there were only two men at another table, the bartender, and a young woman in an indigo kimono hanging off Kayaku's arm, pressing her bosom against him.

A jealous part of Anko burned with anger.

_Pervert! She's almost a girl! You're no better than your sensei!_ Her mind screamed as she walked to the couple, all common sense about the concept of stealth when assassinating someone left her.

"Hokage…Hokage…Hokage," she heard Kayaku tell the woman. "I guess there are some who want to be Hokage, but I had a different dream. I only wanted a clan of my own."

"I guess I'll have to call you Hokage-sama!" she squealed as if she didn't have a brain in her head.

He held her tighter and laughed, "I guess you will!"

He looked up and saw Anko standing on the other side of the table with an expression of very cold rage on her face.

She looked at the young woman and spoke with dead seriousness, "Leave."

"What?" the woman asked in confusion. As if the veins popping in the forehead of an infuriated Anko wasn't enough of a clue of her imminent danger.

"Anko!" said Kayaku in surprise.

"Leave!" A kunai dropped into her hand she threw it at the sake bottle, shattering it to pieces, sending sake on both Kayaku and the woman. The woman flew out of her seat and jumped away from her in a move that was entirely too graceful for an ordinary woman. She stared at Anko with a cool expression and serious eyes, the idiotic demeanor completely gone.

Anko was suspicious and looked around quickly. The two men at the table and the bartender were both on their feet and watching her, each a serious expression on their faces.

"What?"

The three men and the woman each burst into a cloud of smoke as their transformation released to reveal their true selves. In their place were Anbu: complete with masks, tattoos, and armor.

"I'm surprised," said the female Anbu who was the woman in the indigo kimono a moment ago. Her voice was now muffled behind her animal mask. "You came right out into the open, just as he said you would. I was sure you would stay in the shadows."

Anko turned to Kayaku with a questioning look.

"You set up a trap for me?" she asked him with a dumbfounded expression. She couldn't believe he purposely lured her out like this. "I thought you were celebrating your promotion, _Hokage-sama_."

He got up and looked her over, his voice was now cool, but there was a sad smile on his face, "You didn't show up for supper, I got worried. Right now, you're more important to me than that. Are you okay Anko? The Third said Orochimaru had done something to you. He was concerned when you ran off so suddenly."

"Answer the question!" she snapped.

"Kakashi, you can come out," he yelled behind him. Anko almost yelled again, but Kakashi walked out from behind a shoji screen while holding a small dog between his arms.

"A dog?"

"Of the summoned variety," answered Kayaku as he pulled out something form his pocket. "His name is Pakkun and he can track pretty good apparently. He found you with only this."

Dandling from his hand was her necklace with a carved wooden piece.

"The Third found it in Orochimaru's lab. Kakashi summoned a dog to track you and we've been following you all night. You caused use some trouble after you doubled back to Konoha, but after you got to this area, I think I figured out what you were up to. So I moved ahead of you and cleared out this bar before you arrived."

"So you're here to capture me?"

"I'm here to help you."

"It's too late for that!" she screamed. She turned pointed one arm to the two Anbu together and the other to the one who was a bartender. "Hidden Shadow Snake Hands."

Four snakes flew out of each kimono sleeve, tearing through the tables between her and them, and wrapping themselves around the Anbu. They left her sleeves completely, keeping the Anbu occupied while Anbu turned back around to find the female Anbu's sword swinging down toward her head. Anko drew another kunai and blocked the sword.

"Give yourself up Anko-san," the woman warned her.

"You won't be that lucky little girl," Anko sneered as she felt the cursed seal activate. Red marks spread across her face like flames crawling along both sides of her face until cooling into a black color and in one eye the whites were turned completely black.

She couldn't even see the Anbu's look of surprise underneath her mask.

Anko was able to knock the Anbu sword out of the way and punch the woman in the face hard enough to knock her away several feet and leave a crack in her Anbu mask. The woman fell on the floor and didn't get back up.

She examined both of her hands and parts of her shoulders and cleavage that the kimono left bare, noticing the black marks had covered both sides of her body for the first time. The infection had grown even stronger, she guessed after the last forced activation that it was close to completely infecting her if it hadn't already. She might already been Orochimaru's slave completely. The last shred of free will that revolved around her love for Kayaku would soon be gone.

Kayaku watched her carefully, but his eyes were wide in shock. "Kakashi, stay back. No one else should try to attack, I'll take care of her."

"Take care of me?" she told him as she released an evil laugh. The dark emotions released by the cursed seal filled her, giving her strength to do what a part of her didn't want to do. "All these years and you couldn't see what Orochimaru was doing to me!"

"I'm sorry," he told her, his sad eyes watched her. A part of her wanted to rush to him to be held in safe arms while another wanted him dead. It was the second part that won.

She threw three kunai at once, causing him to dodge, while she bit her thumb and performed a set of hand seals. "Summoning Technique."

A huge green snake appeared from under a cloud of smoke, thicker than the length of her hand and much longer than she was tall. It circled around her from her shoulders to her feet, in a slinky embrace and hissed at Kayaku.

"Kill," she ordered as she caressed her fingers down its silky scales.

The snake swiftly uncoiled itself from around her and launched itself across the room. Kayaku calmly stood his ground as the snaked lifted the main part of it into the air with its fangs open to strike.

Yet, at the last moment, Kayaku braced himself and lifted his arm up with a Rasengan in his hand. The maelstrom of blue chakra ripped right through the snake, head first, literally drilling its way down the length of it, leaving a horrible mess before it disappeared in white smoke.

"No," she whimpered, it was her deadliest snake and Kayaku had ripped through it like it was nothing.

He slowly walked towards her. The cool, serious expression frightened her than any face of rage. She had heard every rumor about him, she was proud of everything she heard, but now that she was facing him herself she felt a sudden stab of fear. She wanted to step back, but her feet were frozen.

"I've heard about the lab. I know that you were trying to tell me something earlier, but whatever Orochimaru has done, you couldn't. I can also take a guess why Orochimaru has interfered with our love life at every turn. He wouldn't want me too close."

He was standing next to her now and raised a hand. She thought he would slap her or even punch her, knowing that she helped Orochimaru through all of the experiments.

Instead, he caressed her check gently. They stared at each other eye to eye, he didn't seem concerned by the black eye looking at him, or the black marks from the activated cursed seal that he was touching.

Suddenly, he hugged her and despite all the dark emotions flooding in her mind, she relaxed in his arms and rested her head on his shoulder.

"It's okay now, I'll help you."

A hug from a lover was something so simple and for a moment, she was happy, but she couldn't forget…

"Idiot!" she snapped. She focused the chakra of the cursed seal into her strength and pushed him away, causing him to fly into the wall behind him and collapse to the floor. "My mission is to kill you! Stop trying to save me!"

Anko ran toward him before he could get back up. She grabbed one of his hands, her palm against his, and slammed a kunai through both hands and into the wall.

"AH!" he yelled.

She ignored him as she straddle his hips and took his other hand into hers, forming a hand seal with their fingers. Almost like they were intertwining their fingers like lovers.

Kakashi rushed forward, trying to stop her, but she yelled, "Back off! This technique can kill him instantly, but I have something to say first!"

The boy stepped back, setting the dog on the ground while drawing a kunai, ready for the first opening she left.

"What is this?" asked Kayaku.

"A special technique Orochimaru taught me," she told him. Anko was breathing heavy, her body was weakening, and her chakra was almost gone. She wasn't used to running out so soon, but she had after all just woken up from a technique that should have killed her. The cursed seal had almost drawn out all of her chakra and she could feel the beginnings of the painful exhaustion that followed beginning to start. "Twin Snakes Double Assassination technique. It ensures the victims death at the cost of the user's life. I guess in this case you can call it a lovers' suicide."

"The perfect assassination technique for someone who doesn't care about his subordinate's life," noted Kayaku.

"Y-Yeah." She closed her eyes and her expression twisted in an internal struggle.

"You're fighting it, whatever it is. That means there still a chance for you to stop this!"

Anko leaned forward a bit, resting her forehead against his, tears fell down her marked cheeks. She was quickly loosing her chance, the seal was still pulling chakra, but it was being wasted the longer she didn't use it. A part of her that told her to obey Orochimaru told her to do the technique while she still had the chance, while the other part that loved Kayaku told her to hold on long enough that she wouldn't have any more chakra left to be use to hurt him anymore.

"I don't know how much long I can hold it back, but…I love you," she whispered. The words slipped out, not even the activated cursed seal could stop them.

His eyes widened. There was a whole history of love and pain between them, but some emotions just didn't go away.

"It's alright Anko, I understand," he told her.

Blue chakra began to stream out from between their hands and she realized it wasn't her own. She couldn't keep the hand seal in place and she shrieked as she tore her had away. His chakra had burned her hand as a whirlpool of chakra swirled in his palm. The early stage of the Rasengan quickly vanished as he reached up and pulled the kunai out of his other hand.

Anko pulled away and Kayaku managed to get back onto his feet.

Figuring that it was over, she let the cursed seal deactivate and the marks receded back into the seal itself, returning her skin and eye to its normal appearance.

She prepared for a direct attack, but Kayaku suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind her with a kunai at her throat.

"Body flicker?" she asked curiously. Anko remembered he disappeared like this when he fought the Uchiha earlier. Her thoughts were surprisingly clear, there was no time to be afraid now, as she figured she was already dead.

"No, its much better than that," he told her, his voice suddenly a little more cheerful. She felt him tug at something on her back and moved his other hand in front of her so she could see a small tag. "I placed this tag on your back when we hugged. It is a special tag that lets me travel to it instantly. It's much faster than Body Flicker. It's called the Flying Thunder God technique."

"Hmm! A glorified name like that means you had to have created that," she complained in a dry tone.

"Yep." If she could see his face, she knew he would be smiling ear to ear.

"Just like old times, except for the kunai at my throat," she told him. She remembered when she was young she tried to impress Orochimaru by trying to defeat Jiraiya's top student, except it never seemed to work out like that, especially when he used some odd technique.

"You were the one who was rather rough when displaying your affection," he joked.

Anko smiled sadly at their history, all of it was about to be wiped out by a single stroke of a kunai. With the dark emotions from the cursed seal gone and her own pent up feelings for him released, she was feeling rather empty. She closed her eyes, ready for the end.

"Kill me."

"What?"

"You have to. You don't understand this cursed seal, it takes away free will. It'll force me to keep going after you because Orochimaru ordered it."

"Tell me about this seal Anko," he ordered. His voice was calm, his hand was steady, but he was behind her, against her back almost intimately.

"It's a form of control," she said softly. She didn't see any harm in explaining why she was a lost cause. "I'm the first to survive it, many just die from it, but I was just a guinea pig. It can give the wearer access to their chakra in a huge burst, but in return, it takes away their free will over time, leaving them in Orochimaru's control forever. So you see, you have to kill me."

"I don't think so," he told her as he moved the kunai away.

"But I need that!" she cried out as she turned partially toward him.

He gave her a wide cheerful smile, as if he had an answer that she didn't know. "If you trust me, then sit down on the floor."

Although, she wanted to keep arguing with him about killing her, she reluctantly did as he asked because she did trust him.

The Anbu were back on their feet. Her shadow snakes disappeared in puff of smoke and the female Anbu regained consciousness.

"You four go find the Third and inform him of the situation," ordered Kayaku.

The female Anbu didn't like it, "But what about you?"

"The situation is contained," he explained. "Anko doesn't have any chakra left and is in control of herself for now. Kakashi will stay here to back me up, but I intend to put a seal of my own over the cursed seal."

"What?"

"Now go!" The tone of his voice suggested no more questions and the Anbu reluctantly left.

"A seal?" she asked as she turned her head toward him. She was hopeful, but experience told her that the cursed seal was stronger than that. "Kayaku, I don't know if that is going to work!"

"Well it won't hurt to try," he told her.

"Kayaku, I'm not worth this. The lab…all those bodies…I helped him! I strapped them down. I watched them scream. I disposed of the dead. I did it!" Tears of guilt fell from her eyes.

Kayaku moved round to the front of her and crouched down. He pulled out her necklace with the carved wooden piece and placed it around her neck. Her hand went up and grabbed it, pressing the edge of the wooden piece into her palm.

"The fact that it is haunting you so much tells me the cursed seal really did control you into doing it. The fact you are trying so hard to break out of its control tell me you are just as defiant as the Anko that I liked when we were kids. The fact you've had to suffer because of Orochimaru because I was too blind to see it. Because of all that, I won't kill you, I'm going to save you instead."

He stood up and moved behind her. "Kakashi, move behind us and use your Sharingan to watch me."

"What?"

"I don't know if this is going to hold forever or if this is the only cursed seal we'll encounter. Just in case I'm not able to, it would make since if you know it too. Even if you can't directly copy it yet with your Sharingan, you should be at a stage that just watching it should help you learn it."

"Yes, sensei," said Kakashi as he walked around and lifted up his forehead protector to reveal his Sharingan eye.

Anko turned and glanced at Kakashi's red eye for a second and then looked at Kayaku, "What are you planning to do?"

"Evil Sealing Method, a sealing technique that can counteract the effects of a cursed seal," he explained. "This seal will utilize your own will for power. If you lose faith in your power or your will sways, then the cursed seal will reactivate, but you've already shown you have a strong will by holding on for so long. I have faith in you Anko."

Anko turned away, drawing it all in. Another seal, another powerful technique used on her, but this time she didn't fear it because it was Kayaku.

"You've come a long way to being the kid tied to a log," she giggled with a mischievous smile, remembering her first memory of him.

"Hey!" he objected that long ago event.

However, her smile quickly disappeared as she felt him undo the bow to the obi and pull her kimono off her shoulders. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" she screamed as she covered herself up with her arms. She was thankful that Kakashi was behind her now.

"Sorry, cloth is hard to write on," he apologized as he pressed something warm against her back. She turned around and saw him writing sealing characters on her back, using his own blood from the stab wound she gave him in his hand. "Bare with it a bit, I'll be done in no time."

"Pervert," she muttered.

He wrote three lines, two down her front, three down her back, and one down each arm, each starting around the cursed seal and ended on the floor around her. She could feel the buzz of his chakra on her as he wrote each character.

"Hold on," he warned her after he finished writing. He said the hand seals names softly as he made each one in a long series.

Finally, he placed a hand over the cursed seal and Anko was filled with pain. However, it was one she could bare as the seal characters crawled along the ground, across her skin, and around the cursed seal forming a circle.

She collapsed when it was finished, but even as she drifted into unconsciousness, she could feel Kayaku catch her and pull the kimono back on her before lifting her into his arms.

For the first time in years, she felt free.

* * *

_Nine Months Later_

The full moon was glowing in the night sky as an earth splitting growl rattled the building, but the occupants of the hospital room didn't seem to care as Anko released an exhausted scream of her own.

She looked exhausted with her hair drenched in sweat and dark rings around her eyes. Her hands gripped a handful of the bed sheets as she tried to do one of the more difficult things she had ever done, give birth to her child.

However, things were not going well…

"Why is this so hard!" she screamed, but she suspected the truth.

The hand of the retired Third Hokage patted her own as he stood beside her. He no longer wore his familiar red and white robes and now preferred to be called Sarutobi-sama instead of Hokage-sama. That name belonged to man dealing with the Tailed Beast outside. For the moment, the most he could do was insure the safety of the Fourth Hokage's lover and their child.

"It is the failed immortality technique that Orochimaru used on you," he spoke softly. "I'm afraid your body has been altered on such a level that it can't withstand the ordeal of labor. It is complicating it somehow, at this rate, it is placing you and your child at danger."

She released a dark chuckle, "I guess Orochimaru wasn't thinking about becoming pregnant when he designed it."

Sarutobi sighed with regret, "If Tsunade were here perhaps she could have found a way to undo it, but so far no one has been able to understand what Orochimaru did, much less undo it themselves. I'm surprised you've been able to endure your pregnancy this long, it must have been painful."

Anko rubbed her pregnant belly with her hand. "A lot of things in the last nine months had been painful, but I endured it."

First had been her arrest by Konoha's Military Police, which wasn't as bad for her as it was for Orochimaru's other two subordinates. To her surprise, Kayaku had actually used the services of Uchiha Fugaku to ensure she wasn't harmed and in return, she gave them information about Orochimaru's activities, which was easy to do now that she had her free will restored by Kayaku's seal.

Second had been an inquiry by the Council itself. For a while, she was temporarily a missing-nin for leaving the village and her actual part in the human experimentations not only made her future status as a ninja of Konoha questionable, but punishment could have included execution However, she had two Hokage's actively trying to convince them to exonerate her due to the presence of the cursed seal.

The thing that made all this tolerable was her revived relationship with Kayaku. There was a lot of history of pain, but once they accepted it was Orochimaru who had manipulated them into hurting each other, they were able to start over. A love that grew from their friendship as kids grew stronger now they were reunited again.

Yet, nothing was perfect.

It wasn't seemly for the new Fourth Hokage to associate with a former missing-nin and neither was it safe for the lover of a man who had many enemies due to the war that would try to get to him through his family. Therefore, they kept it secret with only a handful of individuals who truly knew why the Fourth Hokage was so interested in the well being of one Mitarashi Anko.

The unborn child inside her was actually a welcomed complication to their problems.

"_It_ is getting closer," she told Sarutobi and she wasn't referring to her labor.

"Hmm, it's attacking Konoha this time, such a cruel time for a child to be born," he remarked as he looked out the window.

"Shouldn't you be out there?" she asked, her voice sounded so weary to him.

He gripped her hand in reassurance, "I am no longer the Hokage. Kayaku now has my duties to protect the people of Konoha. Instead, I should be here for you since he cannot."

"A doctor can stay here instead," she argued.

"Nonsense, besides they already have their hands full with the wounded. While I am not a medical-nin, I do know many medical techniques, including some Tsunade created herself. One way or another your child will be born safely."

She wanted to argue further, but he had a look on his face. The look of a Hokage wanting to protect his important people and this time, she was that important person.

"There is no more time to waste," he told her. "This cursed skin doesn't seem to want to allow your child to be born, so I'll have to use _that_ technique of Tsunade's."

Sarutobi made the preparations while she endured the pains of labor while she waited. She looked outside more than once while rubbing her belly, thinking if she waited forever, the perhaps the end would never come. The last nine months had been one event after another, with no time to rest and soon it would end, whether she wanted it or not.

"I need some of your hair as a medium," he told her as he used a kunai to snip of a lock of her dark hair. "This is a high level technique, involving bending flesh temporarily. It is used more for surgeries when repairing internal organs, but you won't have a mark afterwards."

"Great," she muttered sarcastically. She was apprehensive about another technique being used on her, given Orochimaru's technique was still a mystery that bothered her every day. However, she would endure it for her child.

"Ready?" he asked. When she nodded, he performed the hand seals. From Anko's perspective, she couldn't see it, but from what she felt she didn't want to. She was used to her new, unnatural skin occasionally feeling like it was tightening across her muscles and bones, but feeling her skin feeling as if it liquefied was a whole other experience.

Yet, the pain quickly ended and the room that was filled with her weary and exhausted screams was now filled with the cries of a newborn with a powerful set of lungs.

Anko struggled to sit up despite the lack of energy, but Sarutobi quickly brought the newborn child bundled up in a blanket over to her after cutting the umbilical cord. He placed the child in her arms and let her look at the infant in wonder and shock.

"It's a boy," he told her with a beaming smile.

"He doesn't look like me," she complained with a lighthearted laugh. The boy had blond hair and blue eyes just like his father. It was a comforting to see Kayaku's features instead of black hair and gold eyes that haunted her in her nightmares.

"Have you picked out a name yet?"

Anko didn't have a chance to say, before someone answered for her.

"Naruto," said Kayaku as he walked into the room.

"You're late," she told him dryly as she clutched her baby to her chest, but she felt better as Kayaku sat on the edge of the bed, wrapping an arm around her. She argued weakly, "Just because you're burdened with being named after an ingredient of ramen do you have to do it to him too?"

"But everyone else just names their children with the first character of the father's name. I wanted to be different, but still connected."

"Fine," she reluctantly agreed, not willing to say she actually liked the name anyway. "He looks like you anyway."

"I don't know," he said after taking a careful look.

Sarutobi watched the two lovers' banter. Normally he would have been happy, but there was something else on his mind. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be stopping Kyuubi?"

"I am…at least I have several shadow clones finishing the preparations," he said as he looked at Anko with concern, her exhausted look worried him.

"Preparations? I thought you would take Gamabunta to fight Kyuubi."

"That won't work alone, if by some miracle we manage to kill Kyuubi, he would only return on the next full moon. A Tailed Beast isn't something so easily destroyed, you know, especially Kyuubi. The ninja who died now would only have died for a short reprieve so that others will die soon as well. There is only one hope to ensure Konoha's safety for years to come. The only thing that's missing is one component."

Sarutobi noticed Anko looking at her son sadly after that statement and he suddenly realized something. "You are going to use _that_ technique aren't you! On your own son?"

He looked back and forth between the two and realized that Anko was well aware of what Kayaku had planned.

"We've already talked about it," Kayaku explained. "After Kyuubi's first attacks on a neighboring village last month I realized the best way to stop him was to create a Jinchuuriki, but that required sealing him inside a newborn child. The technique I'll use will use my soul as sacrifice for sealing the Tailed Beast, but to save Konoha, that is what I must do as Hokage."

Sarutobi didn't agree, "I more than anyone in this village understand the duties of the Hokage, but this doesn't require you to give up your own child."

Anko shook her head and argued, "He won't be a weapon of mass destruction like those others Jinchuuriki. He'll be okay. I understand…"

"You don't! Kayaku, with you gone you won't be able to protect Anko anymore. The Council would not allow someone with Anko's history to raise a Jinchuuriki, even if it is her own son. They would separate them, a Jinchuuriki means power and Orochimaru demonstrated the worse use of power in this village. They wouldn't risk Orochimaru's student wouldn't try to abuse that power."

"But I wouldn't!" Anko eyed Kayaku in shock, she hadn't thought about it. She thought her baby would be the only piece of Kayaku she would have left and even that would be taken away.

"They don't know that, not until you prove yourself, which may take time, years even. Kayaku, if you do this to your own son, you leave him without a parent and to face the effect the demon will have on his personality alone."

Kayaku watched Sarutobi with his sharp blue eyes and spoke with confident words. "A Tailed Beast can eat at the personality of its container, but my seal should truly imprison Kyuubi safely within my son while giving him the abilities to protect himself. However, just in case, I know the stronger the personality of the container the stronger he can protect himself from the Tailed Beast, or else he could go on a killing spree."

Sarutobi argued desperately, "You can't guarantee a child will have a strong personality."

"No, I can't, but I have faith in my son because of his parents."

Sarutobi looked at them both and realized how true the statement was. Kayaku was a stubborn hardworking genius, a man unlike he had ever seen, and Anko was an exuberant loudmouth kunoichi with a strong will to survive.

"Kayaku, for as long as I have known you, you wished to create your clan, but when I made you my successor I knew I was taking that away from you. Anko, I was the one who placed you as Orochimaru's student. I hoped that you would be capable of changing him for the better, but I was too blind to see how he was changing you. However, when you both came together to make your own family, I was happy. Myself and the people of Konoha would not blame you if you choose to use another child when you are about to sacrifice your eternal soul for them."

"How could I ask a family for their newborn child in place of my own? Do I just take it because I'm the Hokage? I don't think it should work that way."

Anko leaned harder against Kayaku, "If you did that, you would be no better than Orochimaru."

"Anko," the former Hokage tried again. "By doing this you are giving up your son."

"Sarutobi-sama, I have been a part of taking many lives away from Konoha. If by giving up my chance at motherhood, I give us the chance to save many more lives, then I can do it."

"Don't make this about Orochimaru! You can find your penance some other way. This is a terrible burden, on yourself and your child."

"I trust Kayaku. I know he would do anything to protect Naruto. I've already given him my permission. I won't take it back." She hugged her child one more time, he was now sleeping peacefully in her arms.

Sarutobi couldn't argue anymore. Their minds were made up and if he were thinking as Hokage, he would have done the same. Yet, here he was nearly an old man watching a young family about to split itself apart for Konoha. He didn't have the heart to disturb their last moments together.

The commotion outside broke the silence.

Anko kissed her child on the forehead and handed him over to his father. Her voice broke with barely constrained tears, "You need to go now."

Kayaku stood back up, but leaned down and kissed Anko one last time. The tears finally broke out and fell down her cheeks. No goodbyes were spoken, the words were too difficult, but the looks on their faces were heartbreaking for Sarutobi. Their fingers intertwined one last time, before it was over.

Another thunderous growl from the nearby Kyuubi, prompted them to break their goodbye kiss. Kayaku walked toward the door with his son in his arms, his back to them both.

"Sarutobi-sama, promise me that you will watch over them."

"You didn't even have to ask," he whispered. His heart heavy with sadness from the scene he was watching.

"Naruto is also making a sacrifice as well and because he cannot give us his permission, this sacrifice makes him a hero to every life in Konoha that he will save."

With that, he was gone.

* * *

_Her body shuddered with broken sobs. She hadn't forgotten all of those memories, but seeing it fresh in her mind again and not as something that she hid in the corner of her mind, brought new fresh pain to her. _

_However, the most painful were the things taken away from her, by Orochimaru, by fate, and most of all by her own choice. All she could do was let loose a scream that transcended her own anguish. _

* * *

**Next Chapter: Trap Revealed**

_Author's Note: It has never been revealed when Rin died, but back in my second chapter I mentioned Kakashi was alone after the Fourth's death, so I had to stick with my own continuity. So in this story Rin died in the war. _

_I created the Immoral Snakeskin Sealing Technique. The whole wrapping her in bandages was like the Egyptian way of making people immortal by turning them into mummies. The snakeskin name is to tie it to Orochimaru for the snake motif and the fact that Anko externally isn't aging, but her insides might be aging or worse. Kind of like a snake sheds his old skin to look brand new underneath, only she doesn't actually shed her skin, it just stays brand new looking all the time. In fact, that is really a nightmare for her. _

_Anko wearing an orange kimono actually was inspired by her wearing an orange kimono in one of the series openings (the one with all the kunoichi wearing kimonos). I realize the TV series doesn't mean anything, but I liked that she was wearing the color that Naruto seemed to like._

_Tsunade's technique came about because I wanted to get around the labor scene, but I wanted the conversations before and after. In addition, it gave a nice explanation why Anko didn't even notice a physical change after her memory was blocked. A combination of the medical technique and the skin that never grew old left her looking normal afterwards. I used hair as a medium from when Shizune was healing Neji. _

_I left out the Third actually blocking Anko's memories. I thought it was much more emotional just to leave it as the Fourth left with Naruto. _

* * *

Version 1.0 

1.0: Original


	11. Trap Revealed

**Snakes and Foxes**

A/N: Wow! I never expected such a good response out of that chapter. The most reviews I've gotten for a single chapter too. Thank you!

My version of Anko is actually 40 years old. She was 24 when the failed immortality technique was used on her and after adding 9 months for her pregnancy, 12 years for Naruto's age, the 2.5 years of the time skip, and at least a year between the start of the series and the end of Part 1. Remember, because of the "cursed skin", she is 24 on the outside, but 40 on the inside. The differences are slowly tearing her apart.

* * *

**Chapter 11 – Trap Revealed**

Anko hated crying. It just wasn't her. She would rather keep her sorrows hidden behind a mask of smiles and laughter than to reveal the loss she felt inside of her. No one in Konoha would have understood anyway. It wasn't as if they really knew her.

Although, suddenly she felt she didn't know herself, well, at least nine months of herself. Nine months of bliss with finally being with the man that she loved ever since she was a girl and nine months of her belly growing with the child inside of her.

Now that she thought about it, it appeared that mother and son hid their tears the same way. Hiding behind a mask that no one else could see through, it looked like they had more in common than being loud and energetic.

"Naruto," she said, testing the name with her voice. She has heard and said it a few times before, yet she never felt the emotions she had now over the name before. His childhood pranks never affected her so she wasn't irritated by his mere mention of his name and the Chuunin Exam only made her curious about the interesting kid, but no more than others like Ibiki and the other examiners.

However, now with the memories of those nine months fresh in her mind, she was filled with the feelings from old memories of love and affection as the new life grew slowly inside of her and the happiness that took away her exhaustion as she held him in her arms for the first…and last time.

Could she change that?

She imagined living in the same house as her son, yelling at him to wake up in the morning or to eat something healthier than ramen. A single parent in Konoha wouldn't be unusual, especially when one or both parents were ninja, and he was only fifteen. It could be different than when she was forced to give him away, Konoha had forgiven her for her part in Orochimaru's actions. She had freedom now, would it be enough to raise her own son?

A sharp pain drew her thoughts away. Anko held up her arm and watched her skin twist and tighten as if it had a life of its own. She could hear it creaking, like leather slowly being tightened, and she closed her eyes until the unpleasant sensation went a way.

If it weren't for this unnatural skin then maybe she would know she had been pregnant. Even with her memories blocked right after she gave birth, it would have been hard to miss the physical changes in her body, but she had been so exhausted she probably slept for days without noticing, always assuming that it was the unnatural skin itself that left her in that state. Now she knew differently.

She wiped the tears off her cheek on the cuff of her trench coat as she struggled to her feet. Her feet were unsteady and her stomach queasy from having nine months of memories poured into her mind at once, but she still managed to stand.

"Damn it!" she cursed as she gritted her teeth in frustration. After all that she was starting to feel her real age rather than the fake one that she had been pretending to be for so long. "I can't believe I agreed to having my memories blocked!"

She thought back the first time she saw Naruto up close. It was at the end of the first test for the Chuunin Exam. She came flying through a window and into room with a banner with her name on it. The blond boy looked at her shock, but so did most everyone else in the room. Later she cut him with her kunai as a warning and held him close, although it definitely wasn't motherly at the time.

"I can't believe I licked his blood!"

Anko had to admit she wasn't the most gentle of women. Orochimaru twisted her natural energetic nature into something sadistic and violent. Even after he left her life, she was still quick to use a kunai.

A newly recovered memory popped into her head. She remembered sending kunai flying whenever Kayaku got out of hand. It wasn't a surprise, his teacher was a self-admitted super-pervert, and it appeared he passed it on to his own student, given Kakashi's habit of reading his perverted books in public. She wasn't shy or prudish by any means and was bold enough to flirt with him and flaunt her curves underneath a revealing fishnet body suit, but she had no tolerance for his perverted behavior when they weren't on her.

"I guess love from me isn't painless," she told herself, but she decided with a smile that if his father could take it, then so could Naruto.

Anko also remembered how she held Naruto before the second test. She stood behind him with a hand on his cheek. Her hand stayed there, almost protectively as Orochimaru disguised as a Grass ninja snuck up behind her. She wondered how much of her mind might have known the truth.

"Orochimaru," the name slipped off her tongue. Her teacher had caused her so much pain in her life and now he was going to do it again. A new feeling filled her, it was akin to a fierce lioness desire to protect her cub. "If you touch my son, I'll kill you!"

She walked across the roof toward an available window.

It might already have been too late, but she knew at least one Anbu was around and prayed that they had enough sense to take Naruto away before Orochimaru's trap sprung.

* * *

Kakashi winced as Naruto pulled a bandage tight across the shuriken wound on his shoulder and wrapped the bandage around a few times off a small roll. They were sitting on the edge of the remains of the water fountain. Pakkun lapped at the remaining water. With Takegaki's giant plant gone it left a room full of cracked marble and concrete pulverized into dust. Even the floor looked unsafe to walk on. 

"Sorry, Kakashi-sensei," the blond boy apologized and not for the first time. He was after the one who had thrown the shuriken at his teacher in the first place. Since it had saved Kakashi's life, he wouldn't really yell at Naruto for it.

With his forehead protector pulled back over his now aching Sharingan eye, he looked with his other eye at the dead body of the Grass ninja, Takegaki. The older ninja remained where he collapsed and dead from the fatal stab wound from Kakashi's sword. Although, something prevented the man from telling Kakashi what happened to him, his remains told a story.

His left arm, an arm that Kakashi himself had cut off years ago, had a been replaced by another man's arm, this one a shade lighter than Takegaki's skin tone and slightly out of proportion, but good enough to make him dangerous again. Not only that, but both of the man's eyes had been replaced with burning eyes that belonged to an advance bloodline from a clan of the Hidden Grass Village.

Kakashi knew from experience that it took a medical ninja with a great amount of skill to do just one eye, but to do all that had him worried, especially this close to the border with the Tea Country. There was one particular man he suspected. However, what would the Sound be doing here?

"Naruto, we're leaving."

"What! But, Kakashi-sensei, the people—"

"Are already dead. This situation has grown too out of control for the two of us. We need to go back to Konoha and report this to the Hokage."

"But—"

Kakashi placed the hand to his uninjured arm on Naruto's shoulder. It felt like old times as he tried to control Naruto's impulsiveness. "Listen to your sensei for once. It's been a while, but I still know what I'm doing. The deeper we get into this the harder it will be to get out. Whoever did this to Takegaki isn't messing around and if it's who I think it is then we are no shape to take them on."

"I'm fine, I'm already healed!"

"Yes, but you're the one whose most in danger here, I can't risk you getting captured."

Naruto gave him a distrusting look, "Are you saying that as my teacher or as an Anbu?"

Kakashi blinked in surprised, he knew the threat of having Anbu chase Naruto down if he left Konoha because of Kyuubi had been used more than once.

"Do you distrust me that much?"

Pakkun spoke up, after they had forgotten him for so long, "Naruto, you forget Kakashi told Takegaki that you were his precious student. He's trying to get you to leave because he's worried about your safety." The pug dog looked downcast, "There is nothing alive down there, except those who killed them, but even a ninja dog like myself know you shouldn't take on a superior enemy alone without your pack to support you. If you find the enemy you call out for your pack brothers."

Kakashi tightened his grip on Naruto's shoulder gently, "He's right."

Naruto knew they were correct, but given recent events he just wanted to save someone, not to feel helpless as everything he did was already too late to save their lives. If he was alone he would keep going forward, but he wasn't alone even if Kakashi was tired from his fight with Takegaki. If he tried to leave Kakashi, he knew Kakashi wouldn't abandon him and would follow him at the risk of his life.

"Okay, Kakashi-sensei, lets leave," he said. From his expression, Kakashi could tell Naruto really didn't want to leave, but he understood the dog's logic.

"Alright."

Pakkun jumped out of the fountain and sniffed at the floor, "That plant tore through everything. Be careful when crossing the floor, it could collapse on you."

Kakashi nodded in agreement and started across it, with Pakkun leading the way, but he took one look at the remains of the entrance and knew there wasn't any way they were going to pass through the fallen blocks of cement and stone.

"Head for the stairs, we'll leave the way we came in," he ordered.

Each step they took was accompanied by loud cracks, almost as if they there were walking across ice, except it was solid floor, literally torn to pieces by giant plants and overwhelming vines.

Pakkun was the first to make it to the steps, but he lifted his head up and sniffed.

"What is it?"

The pug dog looked at Kakashi in surprise, "I think I smell—"

Kakashi couldn't hear the rest as the floor beneath his feet felt as if it slipped out from under him. The fragile floor broke underneath him, sending him down to the basement.

He wasn't alone as Naruto also fell as the entire floor gave way, but at least Pakkun jumped to safety onto the stairway.

The sound of cracking and crushing was all around them as the building shuddered. Neither one of them would have been surprised if the sounds didn't come from their own bones as they hit the solid ground of the basement.

Naruto coughed as dust lifted into the air and into his lungs, but each hard fought deep breath brought him a whiff of death all around him. "It looks like we're in the basement anyways."

"This isn't good," said Kakashi as he looked around in shock. The scene was entirely too familiar for him. There were many dead bodies, each tied to a board propped up against the wall or laid on the floor, just like what he saw several years ago in a secret lab.

Naruto looked around in horror, "What is this?"

A voice spoke and it wasn't Kakashi.

"This was merely entertainment. Now we can get to business."

* * *

"It's been a long time, Naruto-kun." 

Orochimaru stood out of the shadows several feet away from them and into a beam of light that managed to find its way out of the broken walls and down into the basement that was no longer covered by the ceiling. The ceiling itself now covered the ground of the basement in broken bits.

Kakashi struggled back to his feet, but he flinched. One leg was broken. The situation was bad, his Sharingan was over used, and his broken leg would limit his movement. To top it off Orochimaru was actually here. It was the worse possible situation.

"Where's Sasuke!" yelled Naruto as his features transformed again into something more fox-like, with bloodshot red fox-eyes and claws for nails at end of his fingers.

Kabuto stepped into the light next, the sunlight glared off his glasses. "You shouldn't be worrying about Sasuke-kun right now, since it's you Orochimaru that we've been waiting for."

"Me?" Naruto looked at them with a confused look, from what he knew Orochimaru and Kabuto both thought little of him other than being a mild annoyance powered by Kyuubi. Orochimaru tried to kill because he looked troublesome after using Rasengan, but he apparently wasn't important enough for Orochimaru to go out of his way to try to kill him again.

Until now, it appeared. Had Orochimaru finally recognized him as a powerful ninja?

"Actually, I have no real interest in you," Orochimaru told him with an amused smile.

"WHAT!"

"I've been waiting for Jiraiya. I went to a lot of trouble to lure him here, but the Akatsuki got in the way. They disrupted my plans, so I'll disrupt their plans. Besides, this still might be entertaining to watch."

"Perverted Hermit?"

Kakashi tried to move, but ended up collapsing on one knee. "Naruto, run!"

"What?"

"If you run now I can slow them down. My leg's broken, but you can get away."

Orochimaru laughed evilly. "Do you really think you can stop us for long? With your leg broken, you can't use Chidori very well and your Sharingan should be over used by now thanks to Takegaki. The shock to your system should be crippling you soon."

"But I can stop you from getting Naruto."

"Don't be ridiculous. I have no intention of _getting_ Naruto-kun at all. I have no need of Kyuubi and I have no desire for the body of a substandard ninja like him. This is merely revenge. Besides…you are already too late…Summoning Technique!"

Out of the cloud of white smoke slid out a huge snake with brown scales speckled with dark green. It was huge and looked like it could swallow a person whole easily and from the look of its golden eyes, Kakashi was first up.

It slid forward fast and towards Kakashi. Its forked tongue flickered in and out.

Naruto got in its way, determined to stop it with his hands forming the hand seal for the shadow clone technique , but Kabuto ran toward him fast with an aura of chakra already around his hand. The snake distracted Naruto, but memories of the last time he and Kabuto fought, quickly entered his mind and he knew he was in danger.

Kabuto's thrusted his chakra covered palm out toward Naruto's chest, but he quickly moved his arms from the position to form a hand seal into a taijutsu block. Naruto felt Kabuto's palm strike his hand and the medical ninja's chakra slice through the muscles and nerves, but he grunted at the hot flash of pain as he jumped backwards, dodging out of the way of another attack.

"You remembered to protect your heart," said Kabuto calmly as he pushed his glasses back up his nose while he stood still. He had aimed for Naruto's heart as he did more than two years ago, to cut Naruto's access to Kyuubi's chakra and prevent him from healing, but this time Naruto was prepared. "But that attack should have sliced through the muscles and nerves of your hand instead. Can you still do a hand seal?"

Naruto didn't answer as he flexed his fingers painfully. It would be painful forming hand seals, but as long as his heart was fine, he would still have access to Kyuubi's ability to heal him. His injury wouldn't slow him down for long, but Kabuto knew his weakness.

"Summoning Technique!"

Naruto turned to the sound of Kakashi's voice and found the snake trying to wrap itself around his teacher, but Kakashi has summoned the entire dog ninja pack to fend it off, each one with its fangs sunk into the snake's scales, but they didn't detour it much. The snake had already managed to restrict Kakashi's arms, preventing any more hand seals.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Naruto turned, prepared to help. This time he was able to form the hand seal and two clones appeared out from a puff of smoke.

"Don't forget about your opponent, idiot," lectured Kabuto as blue chakra flared around his hand once again, forming an edge so sharp it could cut.

He ran up to one of the newly formed clones and swiped his blade made of chakra across the clone's throat and ignored the look on its eyes as it disappeared in another puff of smoke.

Kabuto ran toward the real Naruto, prepared to strike.

However, a shape clad in brown somersaulted into the basement, between him and Naruto and reached up to thrust a kunai right through the palm of his hand. He didn't have time to scream in pain or realize who is opponent was before being given an uppercut that sent him flying back toward Orochimaru.

"Anko," said Orochimaru as he locked his snake eyes on her. "You've arrived just in time. Did you enjoy my _gift_."

Anko stood up from where she landed between Naruto and Kabuto and straightened out her trench coat.

"Yeah, like all the other gifts you've given me," she spat. Although, she had to admit to herself it was better than the cursed seal or the incomplete immortality.

Orochimaru really didn't know what he had given her, he only assumed the blocked memories were every horrible deed she had done for him. Perhaps he thought she would be still on the roof, frozen in guilt, but she had learned to live with those memories long ago.

"Kakashi-sensei," yelled Naruto as he turned back to the snake, but Anko grabbed him by the wrist. He turned his head and looked at her in surprise.

"W-Wait!" she managed to yell. What she had planned on saying wasn't coming out well now that she was touching him, but no matter how much her new maternal instinct was telling her to hold him, but this situation wasn't the right time for that. "If you keep turning your back to Orochimaru in this fight, you'll be killed!"

"But Kakashi—"

"Is still alive, that snake is only meant to restrain him so he can watch," she turned to Orochimaru and smirked, even after all this time apart she could predict her sensei's twisted behavior. "Did you spend all this effort to make your trap just to have your medical flunky running around? I'm sure you have something more impressive to entertain us."

Orochimaru stared at her, his snake eyes would normally make her uncomfortable looking at her like that, as if they could see right through her to see her vulnerabilities, but with her hand tight around Naruto's she managed to find strength.

However, she knew she had to be careful. Orochimaru left before she became pregnant and that pregnancy was well hidden. There was no way he knew about it, but she couldn't risk him using it against them.

"You're quite right, Anko," Orochimaru told her as he formed a series of hand seals. "I shouldn't waste any more time to finally release this trap! Summoning Technique! Edo Tensei!"

A portal opened in the floor and a casket rose from it. It was something Naruto had never seen and he watched it carefully. The only distinguishing feature was the character for the number four printed on it.

Kakashi's uncovered eye widened with recognition.

Anko turned to him with disbelief in her eyes, her hand let go of Naruto out of surprise, "Is that?"

"Yeah, its bad," he told her as he looked at Naruto, the only one in there that didn't understand. "Naruto! Get out of here now! This technique is way beyond your abilities!"

Naruto turned back and gave Kakashi an angry look, but moved down to Kakashi's broken leg and the snake wrapped around him so he couldn't escape. Naruto's expression was unreadable as he turned back to the casket.

"Those who abandon their friends are worse than trash," he said softly as he made up his own mind over what to do. Kakashi couldn't bring himself to object over those words.

The casket opened with a loud creak as the cover opened. It fell and slammed to the floor bringing up a cloud of dust that nearly concealed the shape within until it stepped out into the light.

Naruto stared at the figure, which turned out to be a man dressed in the green flak jacket of a ninja from Konoha and a long white coat with red flames around the hem. His spiky blond hair and blue eyes were so much like Naruto's own, even if somewhat dulled by the layer of dust and ash that covered the man. Yet the most shocking was a face that was very familiar to him, just like a stone face carved in the mountainside that he had stared at for all of his childhood. Even if the man in front of him appeared to be made of flesh, it wasn't hard even for Naruto to recognize the similarities.

Yet, he turned back to Kakashi with a somewhat clueless expression, "Hey, why does this guy look like…" However, both Kakashi and Anko stared at the man in frozen shock.

He turned back to the man made of ash and dust and saw the man's own blue eyes watching him. Naruto felt uncomfortable at first, but the man gave him a warm smile.

Orochimaru walked around the casket. He wore a wide evil grin as he looked at Naruto, "Let me introduce you Naruto-kun. This is the man who made you what you are, the man who sealed Kyuubi inside of you. This is…"

Naruto didn't need any more hints, he already knew.

_The Fourth Hokage!_

* * *

**Next Chapter: Family Reunion**

_Author's Note: Should I start laughing evilly here? _

_I left Edo Tensei as the Japanese name, normally I leave the English equivalent name, but Edo Tensei is one of those names like Rasengan and Sharingan that is more recognizable in its Japanese name, but for fun, it means Impure World Resurrection. _

_Added: When Orochimaru summoned the 3 caskets when fighting the Third in the anime the Third was able to stop the third casket. In the manga it didn't show the third casket, but it also says he managed to stop it from appearing. Both imply the Fourth was inside the casket, but we later learn that the Shiki Fuujin technique takes the user's soul and victim's soul into the Shinigami. So the Fourth's soul shouldn't have been there. It is either a continuity error or as I've seen often in forum debates, the fact that Kyuubi was not placed in the Shinigami and was placed in a baby instead, somehow the Fourth found a loophole in the contract that allowed his soul to go free, thus it was available to be used in Edo Tensei. If not, then Orochimaru made a mistake and didn't notice he didn't have his soul when placing it in his sacrificial body, but if true then it would have been easier for Kishimoto to show an empty casket than to have the Third stop it. The Third knew how the technique worked yet he also knew he had to stop the casket. Either way, I've used the belief that the Fourth's soul was not in the Shinigami so that the technique will work so that I can do this Uzumaki family reunion. If you don't agree then suspend your belief because I'll make it worth it._

* * *

Version 1.1 

1.0: Original

1.1: Added a comment about Edo Tensei.


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